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The Learning Kingdom's Cool Word of the Day for May 11, 1999
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pusillanimous [adj. PYOO-suh-LAN-ih-mus]
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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
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