What does "life principle" mean?

a hypothetical force to which the functions and qualities peculiar to living things are sometimes ascribed

What is a synonym for "life principle"?

Common synonyms include: anima, animating force, astral body, atman, bathmism, beating heart.

Rare ·Advanced level

Noun

1
a hypothetical force to which the functions and qualities peculiar to living things are sometimes ascribed wordnet