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pusillanimous
Apr. 20th, 2011 07:15 ampusillanimous (pyoo-suh-LAN-uh-muhs) - adj., cowardly, faint-hearted.
Lacking courage or resolution, or indicating want of same. Literally, having little spirit: borrowed in the 1580s from Late Latin pusillanimis petty-spirited, having little courage, coined in Church Latin to translate Greek oligopsychos, small-souled, by combining pusillis, weak, little (diminutive of either pullus, young animal or pūsus, little boy) + animus, spirit, courage. Used as a PGWotD to remind me that it's five syllables, not four like I keep pretending it has.
---L.
Lacking courage or resolution, or indicating want of same. Literally, having little spirit: borrowed in the 1580s from Late Latin pusillanimis petty-spirited, having little courage, coined in Church Latin to translate Greek oligopsychos, small-souled, by combining pusillis, weak, little (diminutive of either pullus, young animal or pūsus, little boy) + animus, spirit, courage. Used as a PGWotD to remind me that it's five syllables, not four like I keep pretending it has.
---L.
