Where does “pusillanimité” come from?
pusillanimité (Middle French) comes from Latin pusillanimis, from Latin animus, from Proto-Italic anamos, from Proto-Indo-European h₂enh₁mos, from Proto-Indo-European h₂enh₁- — to breathe.
Ancestry of “pusillanimité”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Latin | pusillanimis | faint-hearted, timid, pusillanimous |
| 2 | Latin | animus | That life-giving aspect which animates: life... |
| 3 | Proto-Italic | anamos | breath; spirit, soul, life force |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂enh₁mos | breath |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂enh₁- | to breathe |