esprit de corps
nounUK /ɛˌspɹiː də ˈkɔː/ · CA, US /ɛˌspɹi də ˈkɔɹ/
Etymology Unadapted borrowing from French esprit de corps, from esprit (“spirit”) + de (“of”) + corps (“body”).
1
Idiomatic A shared spirit of comradeship, enthusiasm, and devotion to a cause among the members of a group, for example of a military unit.
- “Well done, sister! I honour your esprit du corps^([sic]). When I am a wife, I mean to be just as staunch myself; and I wish my friends in general would be so too. It would save me many a heartache.”1814 May 9, [Jane Austen], chapter V, in Mansfield Park: […], volume I, London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC, page 94:
- Always happening like that. The very moment. Girl in Eustace street hallway Monday was it settling her garter. Her friend covering the display of. Esprit de corps. Well, what are you gaping at?1922 February, James Joyce, “[Episode 5: Lotus Eaters]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company, […], →OCLC, part II [Odyssey], page 71:
1 more example
- Also, much depended on an exceptional esprit de corps which permeated the whole staff, and achieved miracles of promptitude in such details as engine-changing and the marshalling of trains.1946 May and June, J. Alan Rannie, “The Midland of 35 Years Ago”, in Railway Magazine, page 135:
- Synonyms
- morale, team spirit