élan
Americannoun
-
élans
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of élan
First recorded in 1875–80; French, Middle French eslan “a dash, rush,” noun derivative of eslancer “to dart,” equivalent to es- ex- 1 + lancer “to lance 1 ”
Explanation
Elan is a simple sounding word that means liveliness, flash and panache. So if your dance moves have elan, you're feeling the groove with exceptional style and vigor. Elan comes from a French word meaning "to dart," and is often spelled élan. Someone with elan can be said to dart around with enthusiasm and a unique flair. Music or art can have elan, and so can someone's wardrobe. Elan can also mean zeal or eagerness in favor of a person or cause. So don't let this boring sounding noun fool you. Elan has a lot of pizazz up its sleeve.
Vocabulary lists containing elan
100 Words to Make You Sound Smart
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Behave Yourself! Vocabulary for Good, Bad, and Indifferent Conduct
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Between the World and Me
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And so it was with Hollywood, which over the course of four decades translated some of McMurtry’s best work for film, episodes narrated with élan by Mr. Streitfeld.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 30, 2026
It was something in Dominique Pelicot's swagger, his "élan" - as the French might put it - that immediately struck the psychiatrist as odd.
From BBC ● Dec. 20, 2024
Although cut off from the economics of putting pen to paper or finger to keyboard, scores of WGA members are using their downtime and when not picketing the studios to channel their creative élan.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2023
Shepard stages his chases and crashes with élan, fills his supporting cast with colorful characters and generates genuine stakes and chemistry with Bell — unsurprising, since they’re longtime, offscreen partners.
From New York Times ● Apr. 28, 2023
Yet Elizebeth remained unruffled, approaching the job with her trademark energy and élan.
From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
