gumption

Noun

US[guhmp-shuhn]/ˈɡʌmpʃən/2 syllables

Synonyms: common sense good sense horse sense sense mother wit backbone grit guts moxie sand

Open English WordNet

Noun (2)

sound practical judgment“Common sense is not so common”“he hasn't got the sense God gave little green apples”“fortunately she had the good sense to run away”Synonyms: common sense good sense horse sense sense mother witType of sagacity, sagaciousnessKinds logic, road sense, nous
fortitude and determination“he didn't have the guts to try it”Synonyms: backbone grit guts moxie sandType of fortitude

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Webster's Dictionary (1913)

Gump′tion noun

Origin: OE. gom, gome, attention; akin to AS. geómian, gyman, to regard, observe, gyme care, OS. gomean to heed, Goth. gaumjan to see, notice.

1. Capacity; shrewdness; common sense. colloquial

One does not have gumption till one has been properly cheated.— Lord Lytton.

2. Painting (a) The art of preparing colors. Sir Walter Scott

(b) Megilp. Fred. William Fairholt

3. initiative; resourcefulness.

4. Courage; guts.

Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54 · with additions: GCIDE editors