Nanoindentation　was　carried　out　on　pure　tungsten　carbide　(WC)　on　the　basal　(0001)　and　prismatic　(1010)　planes,　using　Berkovich　and　spherical　indenters,　in　both　single　load　and　multi-load　testing.　The　work　focuses　on　correlating　the　load-displacement　curves,　including　elastic　to　plastic　deformation,　size　effect　and　hysteresis　with　the　deformation　behaviour　of　WC.　With　different　specimen　preparation　processes,　the　elastic　to　plastic　deformation　started　at　different　threshold　loads:　This　observation　was　found　to　be　due　to　the　variation　in　surface　dislocation　density.　Staircase　deformation　was　observed　thought　to　be　caused　by　dislocation　motion　and　the　formation　of　slip　bands;　sudden　displacement　discontinuities　in　the　load-displacement　response　-　associated　with　dislocation　loop　nucleation　-　occurred　at,　or　near　the　theoretical　shear　strength.　Furthermore,　discontinuities　in　load-displacement　curves　were　also　used　to　confirm　that　hysteresis　loops　were　a　result　of　plastic　deformation,　as　they　were　absent　when　the　loading　was　purely　elastic.