[French, from Old French eslan, rush, from eslancer, to hurl : es-, out (from Latin ex-; see ex-) + lancer, to throw (from Late Latin lanceāre, to throw a lance, from Latin lancea, lance).]
1877, from Fr. élan, from élancer "to rush, dart," from O.Fr. elancer, from e- "out" + lancer "to throw a lance," from L.L. lanceare, from L. lancea "lance."