Meaning & use
excelsior
Last updated
An expression meaning 'ever upward,' used to convey striving for higher achievement or excellence.
See it in a sentence
The coach ended his speech with a rousing 'Excelsior!' to inspire the team.
The old motto, 'Excelsior,' still appears on the state seal as a call to constant improvement.
A note on using this word
As an unrelated common noun, 'excelsior' also refers to fine curled wood shavings used as packing material, so context matters a lot.
Another way to use it
2. noun
Fine curled wood shavings used as packing or stuffing material.
He unpacked the fragile ornaments from a box filled with excelsior.
Make it your own
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