Vigorous spirit or enthusiasm
Once upon a time, English speakers did not have "élan." We had, however, "elance," a verb meaning "to hurl" that was used specifically for throwing lances and darts. "Elance" derived from Middle French (s')eslancer ("to rush or dash"), itself from lancer, meaning "to hurl." With the decline of lance-throwing, we tossed out "elance" a century and half ago. Just about that time we found "élan," a noun that traces to "(s')eslancer." We copied "élan" 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 characterize as "dash."
From Cambridge Dictionary:
A combination of style and energetic confidence, especially in performances or manner
From The Free Dictionary:
1. Enthusiastic vigor and liveliness
2. Distinctive style or flair
3. Dash or vivacity; verve
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