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élan

[ey-lahn, ey-lan; Fr. ey-lahn]

noun

dash; impetuous ardor: to dance with great élan.

Origin:
1875–80; French, Middle French eslan a dash, rush, noun derivative of eslancer to dart, equivalent to es- ex-¹ + lancer to lance¹

Can be confused: éclat, élan.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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élan is always a great word to know.

So is ort. Does it mean:

a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal.

an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance.

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Example Sentences

He made it his business to know all the celebrities and collectors by name, and he handled crowds with the elan of a diplomat.

Informational panels tackle topics such as reproduction and conservation with elan.

Collins

World English Dictionary

élan (eɪˈlɑːn, eɪˈlæn, French elɑ̃)

—n
	a combination of style and vigour: he performed the concerto with élan

[C19: from French, from élancer to throw forth, ultimately from Latin lancealance]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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élan

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