spirit

Meaning

Noun

1. (countable, uncountable) The soul of a person or other creature.
2. (countable, uncountable) A supernatural being, often but not exclusively without physical form; ghost, fairy, angel.
3. (countable, uncountable) Enthusiasm.
4. (countable, uncountable) The manner or style of something.
5. (countable, uncountable) Intent; real meaning; opposed to the letter, or formal statement.
6. (countable, plural-normally, uncountable) A volatile liquid, such as alcohol. The plural form spirits is a generic term for distilled alcoholic beverages.
7. (countable, uncountable) Energy; ardour.
8. (countable, uncountable) One who is vivacious or lively; one who evinces great activity or peculiar characteristics of mind or temper.
9. (countable, in-plural, often, uncountable) Temper or disposition of mind; mental condition or disposition; intellectual or moral state.
10. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) Air set in motion by breathing; breath; hence, sometimes, life itself.
11. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) A rough breathing; an aspirate, such as the letter h; also, a mark denoting aspiration.
12. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) Any of the four substances: sulphur, sal ammoniac, quicksilver, and arsenic (or, according to some, orpiment).
13. (countable, uncountable) Stannic chloride.

Verb

1. To carry off, especially in haste, secrecy, or mystery.
2. Sometimes followed by up: to animate with vigour; to excite; to encourage; to inspirit.

Synonyms

soul

ghost

👻

mind

heart

❤️

demon

energy

life

vigour

apparition

genie

🧞

disposition

mood

liveliness

vigor

spectre

zest

alcohol

phantom

vitality

courage

breath

stir

essence

gusto

spiritual

activity

mettle

shadow

being

evil spirit

enthusiasm

morale

god

devil

air

character

temper

animation

tone

fairy

🧚

backbone

feeling

invisible

jinn

drive

guts

willpower

nature

strength

liquor

Translations

esprit

Geist

spirito

espíritu

Seele

espírito

geest

👻

πνεύμα

âme

alma

alma

esperit

spiritus

anima

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈspɪɹɪt/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: spirit

In summary

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 (“I 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.