esprit de corps

noun

es·​prit de corps i-ˌsprē-də-ˈkȯr How to pronounce esprit de corps (audio)
: the common spirit existing in the members of a group and inspiring enthusiasm, devotion, and strong regard for the honor of the group

Examples of esprit de corps in a Sentence

The troops showed great esprit de corps.
Recent Examples on the Web The switch to an all-volunteer force was also meant to raise the military’s esprit de corps. Juan Quiroz, Foreign Affairs, 5 Jan. 2024 His esprit de corps is on full display in his TikTok fandom. Vulture, 20 Sep. 2023 Gamble’s esprit de corps foreshadows Moonrise Kingdom’s Khaki Scouts; his loyalty work ethic would later be found in Grand Budapest’s Zero; and his guilelessness is reflected in Chaz Tenenbaum’s twin sons. Joe Reid, Vulture, 26 June 2023 The flywheel of improvement inspires an enviable esprit de corps. Melissa Wong, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2022 That made for spectacular esprit de corps. Corey S Powell, Discover Magazine, 16 Mar. 2020 Still, Artz concedes that fewer in-person interactions between headquarter workers and store workers over the past two years has hurt the company's esprit de corps and created distance between employees and management, especially when meeting for the first time. Phil Wahba, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2022 The esprit de corps is unrivaled. Outside Online, 29 May 2022 That spells trouble for esprit de corps. Lila MacLellan, Quartz at Work, 17 Aug. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'esprit de corps.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French

First Known Use

1780, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of esprit de corps was in 1780

Dictionary Entries Near esprit de corps

Cite this Entry

“Esprit de corps.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/esprit%20de%20corps. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

esprit de corps

noun
es·​prit de corps is-ˌprēd-ə-ˈkō(ə)r How to pronounce esprit de corps (audio)
-ˈkȯ(ə)r
: enthusiastic devotion of members to a group and strong regard for the honor of the group
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