Etymology Explorer › Italian

Where does “pusillanime” come from?

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

pusillanime (Italian): pusillanimous, cowardly, wimpish; coward, wimp;...

Definitions

  1. pusillanimous, cowardly, wimpish; coward, wimp;...

Ancestry of “pusillanime”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinpusillanimisfaint-hearted, timid, pusillanimous
2LatinanimusThat life-giving aspect which animates: life...
3Proto-Italicanamosbreath; spirit, soul, life force
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂enh₁mosbreath
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂enh₁-to breathe

Words derived from “pusillanime”

  • pusillanimamente
  • pusillanimità
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂enh₁- →