Meanings
plural life forces
- countableuncountablefantasyThe hypothetical principle that animates all living organisms.
The human tribe partakes of the mana or life-force of the animal, and is strengthened[.]
1920, Edward Carpenter, Pagan and Christian Creeds, New York: Harcourt, Brace and Co., page 612 more examples
"Yes, I'm beating it!" he cried. "Ever since Felkin held his first consultation with Atkinson I have felt the life-force stealing back into me."
1925 July – 1926 May, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “In which Challenger Meets a Strange Colleague”, in The Land of Mist (eBook no. 0601351h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg Australia, published April 2019“All I can tell you is that we witches worship the life force. The powers emanate from our bodies.”
1965, Attila Zohar, Kings Cross Black Magic, Sydney: Horwitz Publications, page 128 - countableuncountableAn impulse or influence that gives something life or vitality.
Synonyms: élan vital, qi, vital force
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAn impulse or influence that gives something life or vitality.
More synonyms by meaning
noun(biology) a hypothetical force (not physical or chemical) once thought by Henri Bergson to cause the evolution and development of organisms
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Translations
Danish livskraft
- livskraftprinciple that animates living organisms
Dutch levenskracht
- levenskrachtprinciple that animates living organisms
Finnish elämänvoima
- elämänvoimaprinciple that animates living organisms
French force vitale, élan vital
- force vitaleprinciple that animates living organisms
- élan vitalprinciple that animates living organisms
German Lebenskraft
- Lebenskraftprinciple that animates living organisms
Hungarian életerő
- életerőprinciple that animates living organisms
Italian archeo
- archeoprinciple that animates living organisms
Latin anima, animus
- animaprinciple that animates living organisms
- animusprinciple that animates living organisms
Māori mauri
- mauriprinciple that animates living organisms
Polish siła życiowa
- siła życiowaprinciple that animates living organisms
Swedish livskraft
- livskraftprinciple that animates living organisms
Cite this entry
life force. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/life%20force
“life force.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/life%20force. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “life force,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/life%20force.
Source: life force on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.