---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Learning Kingdom's Cool Word of the Day for May 11, 1999 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- pusillanimous [adj. PYOO-suh-LAN-ih-mus] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Someone who is pusillanimous is timid or cowardly, lacking conviction of mind, unable to muster the courage to take a stand. Etymologically, such a person is "weak-spirited." In Latin the animus was the reasoning mind or the spirit that enlivens, and pusillus (weak) was the diminutive of pullus (a young animal). Together, they formed Late Latin pusillanimis (weak- spirited; weak-minded). Through various paths, other words related to youth have emerged from the same ancient root that led to pullus: pullet: a young hen pony: a small horse pool: stakes, booty, or funds, from French poule (hen, stakes, booty) puerile: childish, juvenile, immature ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Cool Word of the Day list membership: 91,920 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To subscribe, visit http://www.tlk-lists.com/join/ To unsubscribe, visit http://www.tlk-lists.com/change/ To become a sponsor, visit http://www.tlk-lists.com/sponsor/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright (c) 1999, The Learning Kingdom, Inc. http://www.LearningKingdom.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------