Dictionary / spirit
spirit
- noun
- verb
- from Old French
The soul of a person or other creature.
1 All current definitions
Every sense of “spirit” in current use, as recorded by Wiktionary. Older and obsolete senses are kept separately.
noun
- countableuncountableThe soul of a person or other creature.
[…] a triumph of the spirit over the flesh.1967, MacCormack, Woman Times Seven:
- countableuncountableA supernatural being, often but not exclusively without physical form; ghost, fairy, angel.
A wandering spirit haunts the island.
- A feeling of passion.countableuncountableEnthusiasm.
School spirit is at an all-time high.
- A feeling of passion.countableuncountableEnergy; ardour.
"Write it then, quickly," replied Bede; and summoning all his spirits together, like the last blaze of a candle going out, he indited it, and expired.1655, Thomas Fuller, The Church-history of Britain; […], London: […] Iohn Williams […], →OCLC, (please specify |book=I to XI):
- countableuncountableThe manner or style of something.
In the spirit of forgiveness, we didn't press charges.
- countableuncountableIntent; real meaning; opposed to the letter, or formal statement.
the spirit of an enterprise, or of a document
- countableplural normallyuncountableA volatile liquid, such as alcohol. The plural form spirits is a generic term for distilled alcoholic beverages.
- countableuncountableOne who is vivacious or lively; one who evinces great activity or peculiar characteristics of mind or temper.
a ruling spirit; a schismatic spirit
- countablein pluraloftenuncountableTemper or disposition of mind; mental condition or disposition; intellectual or moral state.
to be cheerful, or in good spirits; to be down-hearted, or in bad spirits
- countableuncountableStannic chloride.
- countableuncountableThe essence behind historical development of both individual and society evolving towards the Absolute.
Older & obsolete senses (3)
- countableobsoleteuncountableAir set in motion by breathing; breath; hence, sometimes, life itself.
- countableobsoleteuncountableA rough breathing; an aspirate, such as the letter h; also, a mark denoting aspiration.
- countableobsoleteuncountableAny of the four substances: sulphur, sal ammoniac, quicksilver, and arsenic (or, according to some, orpiment).
verb
- To carry off, especially in haste, secrecy, or mystery.
I felt as if I had been spirited into some castle of felicity.1835, Nathaniel Parker Willis, Pencillings by the Way:
- Sometimes followed by up: to animate with vigour; to excite; to encourage; to inspirit.
Civil dissensions often spirit the ambition of private men.
Cross-check: WordNet senses (9)
- nounthe vital principle or animating force within living things
- nounthe general atmosphere of a place or situation and the effect that it has on people — also: tone, feel, feeling, flavor, flavour
- nouna fundamental emotional and activating principle determining one's character
- nounany incorporeal supernatural being that can become visible (or audible) to human beings — also: disembodied spirit
- nounthe state of a person's emotions (especially with regard to pleasure or dejection) — also: emotional state
- nounthe intended meaning of a communication — also: intent, purport
- nounanimation and energy in action or expression — also: liveliness, life, sprightliness
- nounan inclination or tendency of a certain kind — also: heart
- verbinfuse with spirit — also: spirit up, inspirit
Synonyms: spirit, liqueur, liquor, apparition, specter, vision
2 History of the word
The etymology, the path the word travelled, and the words built from it.
The word’s journey, newest to oldest:
- English (today)spirit
- Middle Englishspirit
- Old Frenchespirit “spirit”
- Latinspīritus “breath; spirit”
- Proto-Indo-European* (s)
From Middle English spirit, from Old French espirit (“spirit”), from Latin spīritus (“breath; spirit”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)peys- (“to blow, breathe”). Compare inspire, respire, transpire, all ultimately from Latin spīrō (“to breathe, blow, respire”). In this sense, displaced native Middle English gast (from Old English gāst), whence modern English ghost. Doublet of spiritus, spirytus, sprite, spright, and esprit.
Derivatives — words built from “spirit”
Phrases & compounds
Related terms
Want to go deeper? See also “spirit” on Etymonline ↗
3 Original language
Where “spirit” came from before it was English.
4 Original meaning
What the word meant at the oldest point the record reaches.
Historical meaning — Webster’s 1913
A historical record, labelled as such: some of these senses are dated or have since shifted.
spirit n. [OF. espirit, esperit, F. esprit, L. spiritus, from spirare to breathe, to blow. Cf. Conspire, Expire, Esprit, Sprite.]
- Air set in motion by breathing; breath; hence, sometimes, life itself.
- A rough breathing; an aspirate, as the letter h; also, a mark to denote aspiration; a breathing.
- Life, or living substance, considered independently of corporeal existence; an intelligence conceived of apart from any physical organization or embodiment; vital essence, force, or energy, as distinct from matter.
- The intelligent, immaterial and immortal part of man; the soul, in distinction from the body in which it resides; the agent or subject of vital and spiritual functions, whether spiritual or material.
spirit v. t.
- To animate with vigor; to excite; to encourage; to inspirit; as, civil dissensions often spirit the ambition of private men; -- sometimes followed by up.
- To convey rapidly and secretly, or mysteriously, as if by the agency of a spirit; to kidnap; -- often with away, or off.
5 Use it with confidence
Model sentences from the sources, matched to the meaning they show. Read each one aloud, then make your own in the game.
nounMeaning: The soul of a person or other creature.
[…] a triumph of the spirit over the flesh.1967, MacCormack, Woman Times Seven:
nounMeaning: A supernatural being, often but not exclusively without physical form; ghost, fairy, angel.
A wandering spirit haunts the island.
He has seen spirits roam the house.
nounMeaning: Enthusiasm.
School spirit is at an all-time high.
nounMeaning: Energy; ardour.
"Write it then, quickly," replied Bede; and summoning all his spirits together, like the last blaze of a candle going out, he indited it, and expired.1655, Thomas Fuller, The Church-history of Britain; […], London: […] Iohn Williams […], →OCLC, (please specify |book=I to XI):
nounMeaning: The manner or style of something.
In the spirit of forgiveness, we didn't press charges.
A perfect judge will read each work of wit / With the same spirit that its author writ.1711 May, [Alexander Pope], An Essay on Criticism, London: […] W[illiam] Lewis […]; and sold by W[illiam] Taylor […], T[homas] Osborn[e] […], and J[ohn] Graves […], →OCLC:
nounMeaning: Intent; real meaning; opposed to the letter, or formal statement.
the spirit of an enterprise, or of a document
nounMeaning: the state of a person's emotions (especially with regard to pleasure or dejection)
he was in good spirits
his spirit rose
verbMeaning: infuse with spirit
The company spirited him up
Three steps to owning it
- Pick one meaning above and read its model sentence out loud.
- Say who or what the word is about in your own life, then build a sentence around that.
- Check it against the definition: would a careful reader understand exactly that meaning?
6 The mastery game
Play it here, or print it and do it with pen and paper. At the end you will know the meanings, history, origin and original meaning — and you will have used the word yourself.
Say it, then spell it
spirit
/ˈspɪɹɪt/ · spir·it
Say the word out loud three times, slowly. Notice the stressed syllable. When you are ready, hide it and spell it from memory.
Activate Words · Word-mastery worksheet · Name: ______________________ Date: __________
spirit
/ˈspɪɹɪt/ · spir·it · noun, verb
Step 1 — Say it and write it
Say “spirit” out loud three times. Then cover the word and write it three times from memory.
Step 2 — Know every meaning
Read each definition. Then write it again in your own words.
Step 3 — Which meaning is it?
“A wandering spirit haunts the island.”
Circle the meaning used.
“School spirit is at an all-time high.”
Circle the meaning used.
“In the spirit of forgiveness, we didn't press charges.”
Circle the meaning used.
Step 4 — History and origin
Write the word’s journey back in time (each language and form):
Write three words built from “spirit” and what each means:
Step 5 — Original meaning
The earliest traceable form is Latin spīritus. What did it mean?
How does that original meaning connect to the meanings today?
Step 6 — Use it yourself
☐ I can explain its meanings ☐ I know its history ☐ I know its original language ☐ I know its original meaning ☐ I can use it confidently
Answer key — spirit
Which meaning, sentence 1: C. A supernatural being, often but not exclusively without physical form; ghost, fairy, angel.
Which meaning, sentence 2: C. Enthusiasm.
Which meaning, sentence 3: B. The manner or style of something.
Origin: B. Old French (Old French espirit)
Journey: English spirit ← Middle English spirit ← Old French espirit ← Latin spīritus ← Proto-Indo-European *
Some derivatives: despirit, dispirit, nonspirit, perispirit, respirit, rice-spirit, shad-spirit, spiritdom
Original meaning: Latin spīritus — “breath; spirit”
Etymology: From Middle English spirit, from Old French espirit (“spirit”), from Latin spīritus (“breath; spirit”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)peys- (“to blow, breathe”). Compare inspire, respire, transpire, all ultimately from Latin spīrō (“to breathe, blow, respire”). In this sense, displaced native Middle English gast (from Old English gāst), whence modern English ghost. Doublet of spiritus, spirytus, sprite, spright, and esprit.
Sources: Wiktionary “spirit” (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/spirit#English), CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org; Princeton WordNet 3.0; Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913, public domain) via GCIDE. Worksheet from https://activatewords.com/w/spirit