animal spirits

American  

noun

1. exuberance arising from an excess of energy; vivacity and good humor.

   The children romped on the lawn, full of animal spirits.

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animal spirits British  

plural noun

1. cheerful and exuberant boisterousness

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Etymology

Origin of animal spirits

First recorded in 1535–45

Example Sentences

Markets are highly volatile, driven by “animal spirits” and sentiment, making them difficult to predict amid global economic and geopolitical turbulence.

From Barron's

John Maynard Keynes might have liked the idea of a “vibe check” on financial markets, even though the world’s best-known economist more aptly described an investor’s struggle between emotion and logic as “animal spirits” in his seminal tome entitled The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money.

From Barron's

Nobel Prize-winning economist Robert Shiller, who expanded upon Keynes’ views in a 2009 book titled, quite properly, Animal Spirits, said the error many of us make is assuming that “economic events are driven by inscrutable technical factors or erratic government action.”

From Barron's

“Failing to incorporate animal spirits into the model can blind us to the real sources of trouble.”

From Barron's

It’s on the supply-side, in a dearth of animal spirits and domestic competition.

From The Wall Street Journal