esprit etymology

Etymology

The word "esprit" comes from the Old French word "espirit," which in turn comes from the Latin word "spiritus," meaning "spirit."

Meaning

The word "esprit" has several related meanings:

• Mind or intellect: The faculty of thought, reason, and understanding.
• Awareness or consciousness: The state of being aware of one's surroundings and experiences.
• Character or disposition: The distinctive nature or quality of a person or thing.
• Liveliness or wit: A playful, clever, or humorous attitude or style.
• Essence or quality: The essential or defining nature of something.

Origin

The Latin word "spiritus" is believed to be derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*h₂swe-," meaning "to breathe." This root is also the origin of many other words related to breath, life, and spirit, such as "inspire," "expiration," and "soul."

The word "spiritus" was used in Latin to refer to the life force or animating principle, as well as to the mind or intellect. It was also used in a religious context to refer to the Holy Spirit.

The word "esprit" entered the English language in the 13th century, and it has been used in a variety of senses ever since.

esprit relate terms

• spirit

  Etymology The word spirit is derived from the Latin word spiritus which means breat

• conspire

  Etymology The word conspire comes from the Latin word conspirare which means to br

• expire

  Etymology From Latin expirāre to breathe out die frequentative of exspīrāre to

• inspire

  Etymology From Middle English insipyre from Anglo Norman French inspirer from Latin i

• ghost

  Etymology Old English gāst ultimately derived from Proto Germanic gaistaz Cognate wi

• spiritualism

  Etymology Spiritualism comes from the Latin words spiritus meaning breath or spiri

• soul

  Etymology The word soul traces its origins to the Proto Indo European root h₂enh₂

• spree

  Etymology Middle English spreye from Old English sprenga meaning sprinkling or

• esprit

  Etymology The word esprit comes from the Old French word espirit which in turn comes

• prey

  Etymology The word prey comes from Old French preie which derives from the Late Lat

• spark

  Etymology The word spark comes from the Old English word spearca meaning to scatter

• sprinkle

  Etymology Early Modern English sprinckle from Middle English sprengen from Old E

• sparse

  Etymology Late Latin sparsus scattered dispersed source of French épars Spanish e

• enough

  Etymology Enough comes from the Middle English inowh which evolved from the Old Eng

• sprite

  Etymology The word sprite comes from the Middle English word spryt meaning spirit

• file

  Etymology File originates from the Middle English word filen which itself derives fro

• lief

  Etymology Old English leof beloved dear Proto Germanic leubô Proto Indo Europ

• life

  Etymology The word life originates from the Old English word līf which is derived f

• fort

  Origin and Etymology The word fort comes from the Old French word fort which in turn

• propitiation

  Etymology of Propitiation The word propitiation is derived from the Latin verb prop

• sinister

  Etymology The word sinister comes from the Latin word sinister which means left I

• silhouette

  Etymology French silhouette Origin after Étienne de Silhouette French minister of f

• debacle

  Etymology The word debacle is derived from the French word débâcle which literall