élan

Summary

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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day – "Élan"

Date: August 4, 2026
Host: Peter Sokolowski

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Episode Overview

This episode centers on the word "élan," exploring its definition, usage, history, and how it entered the English language. The host, Peter Sokolowski, dissects the word's energetic meaning, traces its French origins, and shares how it evolved to fit English usage. The episode aims to deepen understanding and appreciation for this vivid term.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

What Does "Élan" Mean?

• Definition: Élan (pronounced ay-LAHN or ay-LAN) is a noun that means energy and enthusiasm.
• Notable Usage:

  "Carrying the production with the elan of a cheerful college quarterback. Luke Brady is an immediately likable leading man."
  — The New York Times [01:01]

Origins and Etymology

• English Speakers' Early History with the Word:
  • In the early 1700s, English did not include "élan," though the spirit existed.

    "Once upon a time, back in the early 1700s, English speakers did not have elan, the word that is; we've always had the potential for vigorous spirit." [01:24]

• From Weaponry to Enthusiasm:
  • The verb "elats," meaning "to throw," was used for launching weapons like darts and javelins.
• French Influence:
  • "Elance" was adopted from Middle French "se lancer," meaning "to rush" or "to hurl oneself forth."
  • This term fell out of English use by the mid-1800s.
  • Around then, "élan" was borrowed from French, via the Middle French noun "élan," retaining the idea of rushing forward, literal or figurative.

How English Adapted the Word

• Sense Shift:

  "We copied elan in form from the French, but we dispensed with the French sense of a literal rush or dash, retaining the sense of enthusiastic animation that we sometimes also characterize as dash, spunk, or vim." [01:46]

• Modern Meaning:
  • Today, "élan" emphasizes an energetic, animated spirit rather than merely physical movement.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Word's Unique Characters:

  "There's an acute accent rising to the right on the letter E." [00:43]

• On Cultural Adaptation:

  "We dispensed with the French sense of a literal rush or dash, retaining the sense of enthusiastic animation..." [01:47]

• On Synonyms:

  "That we sometimes also characterize as dash, spunk or vim." [01:52]

• Sign-off:

  "With your word of the day, I'm Peter Sokolowski." [02:09]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:41 — Introduction of the word "élan": definition and pronunciation
• 00:54 — Example sentence from The New York Times
• 01:14 — Word origins: from "elats" and Middle French "se lancer"
• 01:46 — How meaning shifted and why English kept the figurative sense
• 02:09 — Episode wrap-up

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Closing

The episode gives listeners not just the meaning and pronunciation of "élan" but also the journey the word took from literal rushing in French to spirited animation in English. The exploration highlights the word's elegance and energy — a reflection of the lively sense it now imparts to English sentences.

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Transcript

[A]

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[B]

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[A]

Today's word is elan, also pronounced elan and spelled E L A N. There's an acute accent rising to the right on the letter E. Elan refers to energy and enthusiasm. Here's the word used in a sentence from the New York Times carrying the production with the elan of a cheerful college quarterback. Luke Brady is an immediately likable leading man. Once upon a time, back in the early 1700s, English speakers did not have elan, the word that is, we've always had the potential for vigorous spirit. We had, however, the verb elats, meaning to throw, which was used for the launching of darts, javelins and similar weaponry. Elance came from the Middle French se lance, meaning to rush, that is, to hurl oneself forth. Elance enjoyed only a short flight in English, falling into disuse by the mid-1800s, around which time English speakers picked up elan, another French word that traces back via the Middle French noun elan, meaning to rush. To elance. We copied elan in form from the French, but we dispensed with the French sense of a literal rush or dash, retaining the sense of enthusiastic animation that we sometimes also characterize as dash, spunk or vim. With your word of the day, I'm Peter Sokolowski.

[C]

Visit merriamwebster.com today for definitions, wordplay and trending. Word lookups.