spirit

noun spir·it \ ˈspir-ət \

|Updated on: 10 Jul 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: spirit in a Sentence

Definition of spirit

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

b : soul 2a

c : an often malevolent being that is bodiless but can become visible; specifically : ghost 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 back
—J. 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 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 1b

See spirit defined for English-language learners

See spirit defined for kids

Examples of spirit in a Sentence

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.

Recent Examples of spirit from the Web

But the summer spirit that's making a serious comeback is gin, especially across the pond.

— Vogue, "Vogue’s Guide to the Ultimate Fourth of July," 2 July 2018
The spirits of place are the echoes of people, of events, of ideas which have become imprinted upon a location, for better or for worse.

— Longreads, "The Top 5 Longreads of the Week," 29 June 2018
Although the show was miles from Houston's Pride festivities the spirit was evident at the suburban concert.

— craig hlavaty, Houston Chronicle, "Pride-ful: Here's how Houston partied this weekend," 25 June 2018
An outdoorsy spirit was also present in Prada’s low-profile trainers which channeled Nike’s ’70s waffle soles—a fitting throwback for a fashion show held on Father’s Day.

— jacob gallagher, WSJ, "Sneakers Rule Men’s Fashion. Even Ugly Sneakers," 22 June 2018
On the road, that spirit of sisterhood is equally important.

— raisa bruner, Time, "The New Women of Pop Are Choosing Sisterhood Over Competition," 21 June 2018
The spirit of 2003 was back with the Marlins on Thursday.

— craig davis, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Marlins fall to Giants in 16 innings; Pudge's son Dereck Rodriguez impresses in hometown start," 14 June 2018
Oddly enough, the place that may best embody Anderson Valley’s iconoclastic spirit is its fanciest restaurant.

— jody rosen, Smithsonian, "This Secret Corner of California Is a Paradise for Lovers of Great Food and Top-Notch Wines," 14 June 2018
Per usual; however, that feminist spirit is really cute, and really white.

— refinery29.com, "The Soothing Effect Of The Bold Type's White Feminism," 13 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'spirit.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of spirit

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

spirit Synonyms

Synonyms

alcohol, drink, inebriant, intoxicant, liquor, moonshine;

Antonyms

nonintoxicant;

Synonym Discussion of 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

Other Occult Terms

augury, censor, invocation, lucidity, metempsychosis, mojo, numinous, preternatural, weird, wraith

spirit

verb

Definition of spirit

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 country
—W. L. Shirer

See spirit defined for English-language learners

Examples of spirit in a Sentence

The singer was spirited away in a limousine after the show.
Some of the funds had been spirited away to other accounts.

Recent Examples of spirit from the Web

Human traffickers charge people $7,000 to spirit them from Honduras across the U.S. border.. The caravan was essentially free.

— jim wyss and brenda medina, miamiherald, "Honduran man separated from son at U.S. border 2 months ago fears he 'lost everything'," 5 July 2018
He and Delia hid from the police in a series of comradely households, moving frequently until Neruda was spirited to Patagonia.

— benjamin kunkel, The New Republic, "The partisan world of Pablo Neruda," 2 July 2018
Paramedics spirited her to a nearby hospital, where doctors determined that she was severely dehydrated; at 90/60, her blood pressure was worrisomely low.

— sandra g. boodman, Washington Post, "Her doctor said she had the flu. It took years to find the real, and strange, illness.," 23 June 2018
However, spiriting away large quantities of analog data that is not connected to the Internet would be far more difficult.

— cyrus farivar, Ars Technica, "In seconds, we faked our way into a political campaign, got unsecured voter data," 5 June 2018
Patriotic, inviting, and spirited, Boston is truly one-of-a-kind.

— jessi walker, Marie Claire, "Weekend Travel Guide: Where to Stay, Eat and Drink in Boston," 22 May 2018
In Alabama, the Africans were unloaded and spirited off to another boat for the trip to a plantation upriver.

— casey n. cep, The New Yorker, "Zora Neale Hurston’s Story of a Former Slave Finally Comes to Print," 7 May 2018
These Christians speak Aramaic, like Jesus of Nazareth, and trace their faith to Thomas the Apostle, whose relics were spirited from Nineveh by Orthodox monks as ISIS approached.

— nina shea, WSJ, "How to Help Iraq’s Religious Minorities," 21 Sep. 2017
On a much smaller scale, the city’s residents fumed—Hosack prominent among them—when a mastodon fossil excavated in the Hudson Valley was spirited across state lines for the glory of that rival city, Philadelphia.

— penelope rowlands, WSJ, "‘American Eden’ Review: The Ambitious Dr. Hosack," 1 June 2018

First Known Use of spirit

1608

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

SPIRIT Defined for English Language Learners

spirit

noun

Definition of spirit for English Language Learners

: the force within a person that is believed to give the body life, energy, and power
: the inner quality or nature of a person
: a person

spirit

verb

Definition of spirit for English Language Learners

: to carry (someone or something) away secretly

SPIRIT Defined for Kids

spirit

noun spir·it \ ˈspir-ət \

Definition of spirit for Students

1 : ¹mood

I'm in good spirits today.

2 : a being (as a ghost) whose existence cannot be explained

3 : a lively or brisk quality

They sang with spirit.

4 : a force within a human being thought to give the body life, energy, and power : soul

5 : an attitude or feeling

It was said in a spirit of fun.

6 : person 1

She was a bold spirit.

7 : an alcoholic liquor —usually used in pl.

8 capitalized : God in the form of a spirit in Christianity

9 spirits plural : a solution in alcohol

spirits of camphor

10 : real meaning or intention

the spirit of the law

—

spiritless

\-ləs\ adjective

spirit

verb

Definition of spirit for Students

spirited; spiriting

: to carry off secretly or mysteriously

The jewels were spirited out of the country.

Medical Dictionary

spirit

noun spir·it \ ˈspir-ət \

medical Definition of spirit

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

Learn More about spirit

See words that rhyme with spirit Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for spirit Spanish Central: Translation of spirit Nglish: Translation of spirit for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of spirit for Arabic speakers

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spirit

Definition of spirit

Examples of spirit in a Sentence

Recent Examples of spirit from the Web

Origin and Etymology of spirit

spirit Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Synonym Discussion of spirit

Other Occult Terms

spirit

Definition of spirit

Examples of spirit in a Sentence

Recent Examples of spirit from the Web

First Known Use of spirit

SPIRIT Defined for English Language Learners

spirit

Definition of spirit for English Language Learners

spirit

Definition of spirit for English Language Learners

SPIRIT Defined for Kids

spirit

Definition of spirit for Students

spiritless

spirit

Definition of spirit for Students

Medical Dictionary

spirit

medical Definition of spirit

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