Etymology Explorer › Italian

Where does “anima” come from?

anima (Italian) comes from Latin anima, from Latin animus, from Proto-Italic anamos, from Proto-Indo-European h₂enh₁mos, from Proto-Indo-European h₂enh₁- — to breathe.

anima (Italian): soul; The innermost part of something; A type of...

Definitions

  1. soul; The innermost part of something; A type of...

Ancestry of “anima”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinanimasoul, spirit, life; air, breeze; breath
2LatinanimusThat life-giving aspect which animates: life...
3Proto-Italicanamosbreath; spirit, soul, life force
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂enh₁mosbreath
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂enh₁-to breathe
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂enh₁- →