KinquireStart free

esprit de corps

Say it: eh-SPREE duh KOR /ɛˌspriː də ˈkɔː/ · noun phrase

What “esprit de corps” means

Shared pride, loyalty and belonging within a group.

More precisely: A shared feeling of pride, loyalty and fellowship within a group.

Example: “The early-morning training sessions built real esprit de corps in the squad.”

When to use it

When praising a team's strong sense of unity and loyalty, usually in sport, work or formal discussion.

Memory trick

French corps means body: imagine a team acting together like one united body.

Similar words

team spirit, camaraderie, solidarity

Where it comes from

French, 'spirit of the body', meaning a body of people.

Quick check

After months together, teammates proudly support one another and feel loyal to the whole squad. They've developed…

esprit de corps or rivalry?

Show the answer

esprit de corps

Learn 5 new words a day in Kinquire. Each with a picture, how to say it, an example and a quick check, then spaced review so you actually keep them. Free to start.

Learn “esprit de corps”

More borrowed words