élan vital

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The life force or vital principle posited in the philosophy of Henri Bergson; any mysterious or creative vital principle.

Pronunciation

/eɪˈlɑn viˈtɑl/

Word forms

élan vital

Etymology

An unadapted borrowing from French élan vital (“life force”, literally “vital impetus or force”), coined by Henri Bergson in 1907.

Related words

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