SKIP TO CONTENT

esprit de corps

/ɛsˈpri də ˌkɔər/
IPA guide

When a group — whether it's a team, club, class, or Scout troop — gives its members a sense of cohesion and support, it has esprit de corps.

If you've ever been on a sports team that had great morale and team spirit, you've experienced esprit de corps. The term is French, and it literally means "the spirit of the body," with body in this case meaning "group." Originally, esprit de corps was used to describe the morale of military troops. Pronounce it with a hint of a French accent: "espree de core."

Definitions of esprit de corps
  1. noun
    the spirit of a group that makes the members want the group to succeed
    synonyms: morale, team spirit
    see moresee less
    type of:
    disposition, temperament
    your usual mood
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘esprit de corps'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family