Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Enthusiastic vigor and liveliness.
  • noun Distinctive style or flair.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Ardor inspired by enthusiasm, passion, or the like; dash.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun Ardor inspired by passion or enthusiasm.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Spirit, zeal, ardor.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a feeling of strong eagerness (usually in favor of a person or cause)
  • noun enthusiastic and assured vigor and liveliness
  • noun distinctive and stylish elegance

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[French, from Old French eslan, rush, from eslancer, to hurl : es-, out (from Latin ex-; see ex–) + lancer, to throw (from Late Latin lanceāre, to throw a lance, from Latin lancea, lance).]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Borrowing from French élan.

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Examples

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Comments

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  • (n): energy, style, and enthusiasm.

    November 15, 2008

  • Eric drove with great zest and elan--and the recklessness of someone extremely hard to kill. -Charlaine Harris, Living Dead in Dallas

    December 11, 2010