What does esprit mean?
"Esprit" is a noun borrowed directly from French that denotes lively wit, vivacity, and quickness of mind, particularly as expressed in conversation, letters, or artistic work. A person or piece of writing admired for its esprit is sparkling, intelligent, and engaging rather than merely competent. In modern English the word seldom stands entirely alone; it survives chiefly in two established French phrases. "Esprit de corps" refers to the shared loyalty, pride, and enthusiasm that bind members of a group — a military unit, a company, a team — into a cohesive whole. "Esprit de l'escalier," literally "wit of the staircase," describes the frustrating experience of thinking of the perfect retort only after the moment has passed. Because these expressions have no compact native equivalents, English keeps them untranslated. The word carries a cultured, slightly cosmopolitan flavor, lending any sentence it appears in a touch of elegance and intellectual polish.
nounLiveliness, wit, and spirited intelligence, especially as shown in conversation or artistic work. It is most often used in the French-derived phrases 'esprit de corps' (a shared sense of loyalty and pride within a group) and 'esprit de l'escalier'.
- Lively wit, vivacity, or keen intelligence, especially in conversation or creative work.
- (in fixed borrowings) A shared spirit of loyalty and enthusiasm within a group — 'esprit de corps'; or witty hindsight — 'esprit de l'escalier'.
"The panel discussion crackled with esprit, every reply sharper than the last."
"Her essays are admired for their esprit — playful, erudite, and never dull."
"The regiment's esprit de corps survived even its hardest campaigns."
Rarely pluralized; the plural occurs mainly when referring to multiple instances of wit or several distinct group spirits, and even then stylistically awkward.
"The rival regiments prided themselves on their contrasting esprits."
French has a word for the clever comeback you think of only after leaving the party: 'l'esprit de l'escalier' — literally, 'staircase wit.' English borrowed it whole because no one had a better way to say it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of esprit
"Esprit" comes from Old French "esperit," which itself derives from Latin "spiritus," meaning "breath" or "spirit" — the same root that gives English "spirit," "inspire," and "conspiracy." The word entered English in the early 17th century, when French was a fashionable source of refined vocabulary. Its enduring presence owes much to the fixed phrase "esprit de corps," popularized in 18th-century military usage and later adopted broadly for group solidarity.
How esprit is actually used
"Esprit" is a literary and somewhat formal borrowing from French; it is rarely used on its own outside cultivated writing, appearing far more often in the set phrases "esprit de corps" and "esprit de l'escalier." In speech it is usually pronounced in an anglicized way, roughly "ess-PREE."
Easily confused with esprit
A sprite is a fairy-like supernatural being (or a computer graphic), whereas esprit denotes liveliness of mind and spirit.