esprit
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of esprit
1585–95; < French < Latin spīritus spirit
Explanation
Someone with esprit is full of life, joy, and vigor. Your esprit might make you a lively camp counselor or an enthusiastic teacher. The quality of being vivacious and alive, smart and witty, can be summed up in the word esprit. Esprit isn't something everyone has, but people who do are positive and fun to be around. It's a French word that's been used in English since the 16th century, literally meaning "spirit," "soul," or "mind," from the Latin root spiritus, "spirit."
Vocabulary lists containing esprit
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Christopher Mouse
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
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.
ESPRIT, France — While few people question mandatory helmets in professional cycling and sunglasses are unlikely to disappear any time soon, the combination has an unfortunate side effect.
From New York Times • Jul. 16, 2016
Before proceeding, it might be well to examine more closely what is meant by ESPRIT.
From Laughter : an Essay on the Meaning of the Comic by Brereton, Cloudesley Shovell Henry
One may have very honest sentiments, and a great deal of ESPRIT, and yet write like a cat....
From History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 19 by Carlyle, Thomas
Just, candid, consummately polite: an excellent manager of men, as well as of war-movements, though Voltaire found him shockingly defective in ESPRIT.
From History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 20 by Carlyle, Thomas
One must know how to choose friends; and that of ESPRIT, though a pretty thing, is by no means the one requisite, if indeed it be a requisite at all.
From History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 16 by Carlyle, Thomas
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.
