___ vital (life force, from the French) (4)

I believe the answer is:

elan

(Other definitions for elan that I've seen before include "French dish in lane" , "'Panache, flair (4)'" , "Dashing style" , "Vigour, panache" , "Dash, style" .)

I've seen this clue in The New York Times.

Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.