What does elance mean?
"Elance" is a rare English verb meaning to throw, hurl, or fling something with force, and by extension to dart or spring suddenly into motion. It entered English from French, ultimately tracing back to the Latin word for a light spear, which also gives us "lance." Historically it appeared in literary and descriptive prose — writers might say a rider elanced his cloak aside, or that a fish elanced from the water. Today it survives only marginally, encountered mainly by readers of older literature or in specialized discussions of movement and ballet, where its French cousin conveys a springing energy. Because it is so uncommon, using it lends prose an antique, deliberately poetic flavor, though writers should be aware that many readers now associate the spelling with the defunct freelancing platform rather than with any act of throwing. Its closest living relatives in everyday English are "launch" and "lance," both heirs to the same spear-throwing root.
verbTo throw or hurl with force; to dart or fling. The word is now rare and chiefly literary.
- To throw, hurl, or fling something with force.
- To move swiftly; to dart.
"She elanced the stone across the frozen pond, watching it skip twice before sinking."
"The rider elanced his cloak over the fence and gave chase on foot."
"A trout elanced from the water, catching the last of the evening light."
Before there was Upwork's freelance giant, "elance" was what poets did to stones and spears — hurling them with all their might.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of elance
English borrowed "elance" from French, where verbs built on the root of "lance" expressed throwing or springing forward; the French noun "élance," still current, denotes a sudden forward movement or burst of impetuosity. The ultimate source is the Late Latin "lancea," a light spear, the same word behind English "lance" and, through Old French, "launch." The verb was in literary use by around the early seventeenth century but has since fallen almost entirely out of circulation, while the noun "élance" retains limited use in English in artistic and critical contexts.
How elance is actually used
Elance is archaic or at best very rare in modern English, surviving mostly in literary or historical prose. It carries a slightly elevated, poetic tone. Note also that many modern readers will associate the spelling with the former freelancing platform Elance, which merged into Upwork in 2015 — a context entirely unrelated to the word's dictionary sense.
Easily confused with elance
"Elands" is simply the plural of eland, a large African antelope, whereas "elance" is a rare verb meaning to hurl or fling.
The borrowed noun "élance" denotes a springing momentum or impetuosity, while the verb "elance" means to throw or dart.