élan vital

English

Etymology

Borrowed from French élan vital, coined by Henri Bergson.

Pronunciation

(French) IPA^(key): /elɑ̃ vital/

Noun

élan vital (uncountable)

The life force or vital principle posited in the philosophy of Henri Bergson; any mysterious or creative vital principle.
- 2006, Thomas Pynchon, Against the Day, Vintage 2007, p. 803:
  Electricity! the force of the future—for everything, you know, including the élan vital itself, will soon be proven electrical in nature.

See also

vitalism

Anagrams

alleviant, vanillate

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