morale

[ muh-ral ]

noun

1. emotional or mental condition with respect to cheerfulness, confidence, zeal, etc., especially in the face of opposition, hardship, etc.:

   the morale of the troops.

morale

/ mɒˈrɑːl /

noun

1. the degree of mental or moral confidence of a person or group; spirit of optimism

Word History and Origins

Origin of morale¹

First recorded in 1745–55; from French, noun use of feminine of moral “custom”; moral

Word History and Origins

Origin of morale¹

C18: morals, from French, n. use of moral (adj)

Example Sentences

Large budget cuts or plummeting morale could still shrink the science office.

From Science Magazine

O’Malley was also concerned with the morale of the employees who serve the beneficiaries.

From Salon

But the weapons may grant Ukraine some advantage at a time when Russian troops have been gaining ground in the country's east and morale is low.

From BBC

That's the key finding from a new study from researchers at Stevens Institute of Technology, which shows that employees' morale and job performance decline sharply when leaders lurch unpredictably between good and bad behavior.

From Science Daily

Elizabeth Atherton, an opera singer, said she had “no confidence” that the Welsh or UK governments were taking the matter seriously enough and said morale within the sector was "at an all-time low".

From BBC

Related Words

• attitude
• mood
• resolve
• self-confidence
• spirit