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Glite Dictionary
élan vital

élan vital

9.9
A supposed life force that makes living things grow and change
  • noun
  • /eɪˈlɑ̃ viˈtɑl/
  • Archaic
translation icon : élan vital
  • Some early biologists believed that an élan vital was needed to explain life's origin.

Examples

  • Bergson's theory of élan vital has been influential in discussions of consciousness and evolution.

  • While modern science rejects the idea of élan vital, it remains a part of philosophical history.

  • The concept of élan vital was central to Bergson's philosophy.

  • Many scientists debated the existence of élans vitaux in living organisms.

  • Bergson proposed that élan vital was a driving force behind the evolution of living organisms.

  • Some philosophers argue that élan vital symbolizes the instinctual drive present in all forms of life.

  • Debates over the relevance of élan vital highlight its historical significance in understanding biological processes.

Synonyms

life force
vsélan vital
  • Archaic
5 8.8

An imagined energy that makes living things grow and move

is the developmental inner impulse idea emphasized by Henri Bergson
vitality
vsélan vital
  • Archaic
1 9.8

Old idea that a force that is not physical makes living things grow

is framed as a developmental inner impulse rather than general power
vital force
vsélan vital
  • Archaic
9.9

A power once thought to make living things grow and stay alive

is the philosophical inner impulse concept proposed by Henri Bergson
vital principle
vsélan vital
  • Archaic
9.9

An imagined life force thought to make living things grow and work

is presented as an evolutionary inner impulse, not merely a governing cause

Surface Forms

élan vital singular
élans vitaux plural

Morphology

élan + vital

The phrase is transparently compositional: 'élan' (a loanword meaning momentum, vigor, or impulse) combined with 'vital' (life-related, necessary for life) yields the sense 'vital impulse' or 'vital force' directly. Although it is a French loan and used in specialist philosophical contexts, a B1 learner who knows the constituents would readily infer the intended meaning.

Etymology

Élan vital comes from the French words élan, meaning a quick push or energy, and vital, meaning 'life'. Philosopher Henri Bergson used the image of a forward push to describe how living things grow and move, so the phrase means 'vital force' or 'life energy' today.