pusillanimous
pronunciation
How to pronounce pusillanimous in British English:
UK [ˌpju:sɪˈlænɪməs]
How to pronounce pusillanimous in American English:
US [ˌpjusəˈlænəməs]
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- Adjective:
- lacking in courage and manly strength and resolution; contemptibly fearful
Word Origin
- pusillanimous
- pusillanimous: [16] Pusillanimous means etymologically ‘tiny-spirited’. It comes from late Latin pūsillanimis, a compound adjective formed from pūsillus ‘very small or weak’ (a descendant of the same base as produced Latin puer ‘child, boy’, source of English puerile) and animus ‘mind, spirit’ (source of English animate).=> animal, animate, puerile
- pusillanimous (adj.)
- early 15c., from Late Latin pusillanimis "having little courage" (used in Church Latin to translate Greek oligopsychos "small-souled"), from Latin pusillis "very weak, little" (diminutive of pullus "young animal;" see foal (n.)) + animus "spirit, courage" (see animus). Related: Pusillanimously; pusillanimousness.
Example
- 1. The authorities have been too pusillanimous in merely condemning the violence .
- 2. Moderation , cooperation , compromise , and bipartisanship are lame reflections of a pusillanimous past and of a “ pathetic and exhausted leadership ” incapable of winning elections .
- 3. It is time the Fund \'s top brass said so publicly and , by refusing to lend more without a deal on debt , pushed Europe \'s pusillanimous politicians into doing the right thing .