Alternative spellings

• esprit de l'escalier
• esprit d'escalier
• l'esprit d'escalier

Noun

l'esprit de l'escalier

1. The experience of thinking of a devastating rejoinder only after leaving the scene of the debate.

Etymology

Lit. staircase wit; originally a witticism of Diderot in Paradoxe sur le Comédien (completed in 1778, published in 1830).

Diderot observed the tendency to think of a quick come-back only after it is too late to say it: one often thinks of a witty retort only when one is leaving an event, walking down a staircase (or stoop), with little other dialog to interrupt personal thoughts.

This expression dates from a time when the word esprit, which now means "spirit" or "mind", meant more commonly "wit" (though still means "witticism").

Noun

l'esprit de l'escalier

1. The experience of thinking of a devastating rejoinder only after leaving the scene of the debate.