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Glite Dictionary
Yankee spirit

Yankee spirit

8.0
A determined, practical way of working hard and never giving up, often linked to people from the northern United States
  • noun
  • /ˈjæŋki ˈspɪrɪt/
  • US
translation icon : espíritu yankee
  • Her Yankee spirit helped her overcome every obstacle during the difficult project.

Examples

  • Many admire his Yankee spirit and can-do attitude in the face of adversity.

  • The team showed their Yankee spirit by never giving up, even when they were losing.

  • Don't you have any Yankee spirit?

  • The team showed great Yankee spirit during the championship.

  • Her Yankee spirit drove her to find creative solutions even when faced with tough challenges.

  • Throughout the storm, the community displayed their Yankee spirit by working together to rebuild.

  • His Yankee spirit inspired the team to keep pushing forward, regardless of the setbacks.

Synonyms

fighting spirit
vsYankee spirit
5 3.9

A strong will and courage to keep trying against difficulties

is more about steady ingenuity and long-term perseverance
Dunkirk spirit
vsYankee spirit
  • UK
8.5

A strong feeling of people working together and being determined in hard times

is centered on individual resourceful perseverance tied to northern US identity

How Spirited

resolve
92 4.4
determination
142 3.0
Yankee spirit
  • US
8.0
spirit
822 3.1
morale
142 3.8

Surface Forms

Yankee spirit singular
Yankee spirits plural

Morphology

Yankee + spirit

The phrase combines 'Yankee' (a person from the US North/New England) with 'spirit' (character or attitude), so a learner who knows both words can infer it refers to the characteristic attitude of Yankees. However, the specific evaluative traits (resilience, ingenuity, perseverance) are culturally specific connotations that are not strictly predictable from the constituents alone, so full understanding may require extra cultural knowledge or exposure.

Etymology

Yankee spirit comes from the old image of people from the northern United States called Yankees, who were known for being clever, practical, and not afraid of hard work. The word spirit suggests energy and courage, so the phrase means a 'can-do' or 'never give up' attitude today.