spirit

1 of 2

noun

spir·​it ˈspir-ət How to pronounce spirit (audio)
1
: an animating or vital principle held to give life to physical organisms
2
: a supernatural being or essence: such as
a
capitalized : holy spirit
c
: an often malevolent being that is bodiless but can become visible
specifically : ghost sense 2
d
: a malevolent being that enters and possesses a human being
3
: temper or disposition of mind or outlook especially when vigorous or animated
in high spirits
4
: the immaterial intelligent or sentient part of a person
5
a
: the activating or essential principle influencing a person
acted in a spirit of helpfulness
b
: an inclination, impulse, or tendency of a specified kind : mood
6
a
: a special attitude or frame of mind
the money-making spirit was for a time driven backJ. A. Froude
b
: the feeling, quality, or disposition characterizing something
undertaken in a spirit of fun
7
: a lively or brisk quality in a person or a person's actions
8
: a person having a character or disposition of a specified nature
9
: a mental disposition characterized by firmness or assertiveness
denied the charge with spirit
10
a
: distillate sense 1: such as
(1)
: the liquid containing ethanol and water that is distilled from an alcoholic liquid or mash
often used in plural
(2)
: any of various volatile liquids obtained by distillation or cracking (as of petroleum, shale, or wood)
often used in plural
b
: a usually volatile organic solvent (such as an alcohol, ester, or hydrocarbon)
11
a
: prevailing tone or tendency
spirit of the age
b
: general intent or real meaning
spirit of the law
12
: an alcoholic solution of a volatile substance
spirit of camphor
13
: enthusiastic loyalty
school spirit
14
capitalized Christian Science : god sense 1b

spirit

2 of 2

verb

spirited; spiriting; spirits

transitive verb

1
: to infuse with spirit
especially : animate
hope and apprehension of feasibleness spirits all industry John Goodman
2
: to carry off usually secretly or mysteriously
was hustled into a … motorcar and spirited off to the countryW. L. Shirer
Choose the Right Synonym for spirit

courage, mettle, spirit, resolution, tenacity mean mental or moral strength to resist opposition, danger, or hardship.

courage implies firmness of mind and will in the face of danger or extreme difficulty.

the courage to support unpopular causes

mettle suggests an ingrained capacity for meeting strain or difficulty with fortitude and resilience.

a challenge that will test your mettle

spirit also suggests a quality of temperament enabling one to hold one's own or keep up one's morale when opposed or threatened.

her spirit was unbroken by failure

resolution stresses firm determination to achieve one's ends.

the resolution of pioneer women

tenacity adds to resolution implications of stubborn persistence and unwillingness to admit defeat.

held to their beliefs with great tenacity

Examples of spirit in a Sentence

Noun the spirits of my ancestors Some religions believe that the same spirit is reincarnated many times in different bodies. Yoga is very healthy for both body and spirit. We will all miss her generous spirit. My father was a proud spirit. Verb The singer was spirited away in a limousine after the show. Some of the funds had been spirited away to other accounts.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The pay bump may be regarded as the first step in a long battle to improve the spirits of staff who have had their morale battered by poor Avanti service. Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 25 Mar. 2024 Here’s a simple recipe: 8 mint leaves 1/4 ounce simple syrup 2 ounces bourbon Garnish: mint sprig Garnish: Angostura bitters Berry Rose Sangria: Who doesn’t love a good St. Germain spirit or vodka? Dominique Fluker, Essence, 25 Mar. 2024 This revitalization of their spirit leads to a sustained passion and dedication to achieving their business goals. Maria Williams, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2024 Sightings of the mythical Nain Rouge, a red hobgoblin or dwarf that appears on the eve of tragedy, date to Detroit's origin — and locals have reclaimed the spirit with an annual march to scare the demon away, according to tradition. Detroit Free Press, 24 Mar. 2024 Sa Pa Hotel de la Coupole: Designer Bill Bensley captured the spirit of Indochine style for this soaring 249-key hotel in the remote hill town. Chris Wallace, Travel + Leisure, 24 Mar. 2024 In an era of podcasts and influencers, Montez Press Radio is reviving the D.I.Y. spirit of a bygone downtown New York City. Mattie Kahn, New York Times, 23 Mar. 2024 Drake’s has a variety of beer including year-round and limited releases and advanced oak beers aged in wine and spirits barrels. Brianna Taylor, Sacramento Bee, 22 Mar. 2024 Today, farmers markets may be more prevalent in affluent neighborhoods, but a key program has been working diligently to uphold their original spirit, making fresh fruits and vegetables accessible to all Californians. Sarah Portnoy, The Mercury News, 21 Mar. 2024
Verb
And that's because the Miami police had spirited him away. Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 12 Mar. 2024 There were Barbie cameos, dancers galore, Slash, and spirited sing-alongs. Radhika Seth, Vogue, 11 Mar. 2024 Both student sections were spirited as well and the teams gave the crowd a tremendous show hitting huge shots at key times. Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Feb. 2024 There are tens of thousands of these vanished: soldiers who disappeared into the maw of battle, children spirited away for adoption in Russia, civilian villagers like Olena’s husband, Oleh, her childhood sweetheart, who engaged in quixotic acts of defiance against a powerful occupying army. Sabra Ayres, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2024 After arriving at a dock, my bag was spirited away by a bellhop as another guided me through a tiny calle to the enormous arched doorway of the new Nolinski Venezia, the first foray of the French EVOK hotel group outside of its native country. Zoe Dubno, Vogue, 24 Feb. 2024 According to the couple, they were tied up, blindfolded and eventually sedated before Huskins was spirited away in the trunk of a car. Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 18 Jan. 2024 Bryan Sung, now 7, was only 3 years old when his mother, Min Jung Cho, 42, allegedly spirited him away to her native South Korea in June 2019. Michael Ruiz, Fox News, 3 Jan. 2024 By the end, David is begging for an HBO rep to spirit him away. Kevin Dolak, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'spirit.' 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

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French or Latin; Anglo-French, espirit, spirit, from Latin spiritus, literally, breath, from spirare to blow, breathe

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of spirit was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near spirit

Cite this Entry

“Spirit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spirit. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

spirit

1 of 2 noun
spir·​it ˈspir-ət How to pronounce spirit (audio)
1
: a force within a human being thought to give the body life, energy, and power : soul
2
a
capitalized : holy spirit
b
: a being (as a ghost) whose existence cannot be explained by the known laws of nature
3
: mood entry 1
in good spirits
4
: a lively or brisk quality
answered with spirit
5
: real meaning or intention
the spirit of the law
6
: an attitude governing one's actions
said in a spirit of fun
7
a
: a distilled alcoholic liquor
usually used in plural
b
: a solution in alcohol
often used in plural
spirits of camphor

spirit

2 of 2 verb
: to carry off secretly or mysteriously
Etymology

Noun

Middle English spirit "a life-giving force," derived from Latin spiritus, literally, "breath"

Medical Definition

spirit

noun
spir·​it ˈspir-ət How to pronounce spirit (audio)
1
a
: distillate
especially : the liquid containing ethyl alcohol and water that is distilled from an alcoholic liquid or mash
often used in plural
b
: a usually volatile organic solvent (as an alcohol, ester, or hydrocarbon)
2
: an alcoholic solution of a volatile substance
spirit of camphor

More from Merriam-Webster on spirit

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