Phrase guide

élan vital

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /eɪˈlɑn viˈtɑl/

1

noun

Meaning 1

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

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

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

Across languages

Translations

3 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 生命衝動 /生命冲动 (shēngmìng chōngdòng) — life force in the philosophy of Henri Bergson
  • French: élan vital — life force in the philosophy of Henri Bergson
  • Polish: élan vital — life force in the philosophy of Henri Bergson