Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

bel esprit

noun
bel es·prit | \ˌbe-ˌle-ˈsprē, ˌbe-lə-\
plural beaux esprits\ˌbō-ˌze-ˈsprē, ˌbō-zə- \

Definition of bel esprit 

: a person with a fine and gifted mind as a bel esprit she despised pedantry whether in a man or in a bluestocking— Robert Halsband

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

History and Etymology for bel esprit

French, literally, fine mind

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about bel esprit

Share bel esprit

Resources for bel esprit

Cite Time Traveler Time Traveler! Explore the year a word first appeared

Dictionary Entries near bel esprit

Belemnoidea

belemnoid process

beleper

bel esprit

bel étage

beletter

Belfast

Statistics for bel esprit

Look-up Popularity

Comments on bel esprit

What made you want to look up bel esprit? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Show Comments  Hide Comments 

WORD OF THE DAY

linchpin

one that holds something together

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Test Your Vocabulary

Words from Greek and Roman Mythology Quiz

  • the-triumph-of-venus-by-alessandro-magnasco
  • Boreal comes from the name of the ancient Greek god of which wind?
How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?

Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!

TAKE THE QUIZ
SCRABBLE® Sprint

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games