élan

/eɪˈlɑːn/

//eɪˈlɑːn// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"elan" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“élan” is uncommon English (frequency #95,633), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#95,633
frequency rank, English
4
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Spirit; zeal; ardor.

Corpus desk

Index EN-elan · élan · English

élan · rank #95,633 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #95,633
  • LEN-MID 4 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "É" thin
  • PHOTO-FINISH ZOMG

Nearest frequency peer: ZOMG (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “élan”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “élan” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for élan
PropertyValue
Headwordélan
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/eɪˈlɑːn/
Letters4
Frequency rank#95,633
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “élan” in English

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).élanfalls in this rarity band:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Rare peers in the same band: “ZOMG” (#95,632), “Zira” (#95,631), “Zepp” (#95,630). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

élan is uncommon English at frequency #95,633, classed as anoun, transcribed /eɪˈlɑːn/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

Zero misspellings are on record for élan in our index, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from French élan. The correct English form is élan, spelled É-L-A-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    Spirit; zeal; ardor.
  2. 2
    Grace; style (especially apparently effortless).

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how élan appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Sam, carried away by the élan of the performance, was unable to resist joining them.
  2. The goal of the Cultural Revolution was to radicalize the whole society, to create mass participation at all levels of decision-making, and to restore the revolutionary élan of the 1940s.

Etymology

Borrowed from French élan.

This word in other languages

élan(Français)Elan(Deutsch)elã(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "élan"?
"élan" is spelled É-L-A-N. The IPA pronunciation is /eɪˈlɑːn/.
What does "élan" mean?
As a noun, "élan" means: Spirit; zeal; ardor.
How do you pronounce "élan"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "élan" is /eɪˈlɑːn/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "élan"?
Borrowed from French élan. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "élan", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 4 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

ZOMG#95,632Zira#95,631Zepp#95,630Vyas#95,592

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list