Meanings
-
1
noun
lively intelligence, wit, or vivacious cleverness
Her quick replies gave the conversation an effortless esprit.
-
2
noun
a lively spirit, enthusiasm, or characteristic energy
The ensemble performed with enough esprit to animate the formal occasion.
Thesaurus
Etymology
Borrowed from French esprit, 'spirit or mind,' from Old French espirit and Latin spiritus, 'breath, spirit.' English has used the borrowing since the sixteenth century, especially for distinctly French-seeming vivacity, cleverness, or conversational wit.