elan
UK[eɪˈlɒ̃]US[eɪˈlɑːn]
n
Enthusiastic vigor and liveliness; distinctive style or flair.
Etymology
The word 'elan' entered English in the 19th century as a direct borrowing from the French 'élan', which means "ardor, impulse, or rush." The French term itself derives from the Old French 'eslan', a noun of action from the verb 'eslancer', meaning "to hurl or dart forth." This verb is composed of 'es-' (a variant of the Latin prefix 'ex-', meaning "out") and 'lancer' (meaning "to throw," from the Late Latin 'lanceare'). The core logic traces from the physical act of throwing oneself forward to the modern abstract sense of spirited enthusiasm and energetic style.
Analysis
This word is a direct loan from French and is not productively segmented using English morphemes.
Examples
She performed the dance with great elan and precision.
The old veteran recounted his war stories with undiminished elan.
The designer's collections are always full of color and elan.