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pusillanimous

adjective
pu·​sil·​lan·​i·​mous | \ ËŒpyü-sÉ™-ˈla-nÉ™-mÉ™s also ËŒpyü-zÉ™- How to pronounce pusillanimous (audio) \

Definition of pusillanimous

: lacking courage and resolution : marked by contemptible timidity
Other Words from pusillanimous Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about pusillanimous

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Other Words from pusillanimous

pusillanimously adverb

Choose the Right Synonym for pusillanimous

cowardly, pusillanimous, craven, dastardly mean having or showing a lack of courage. cowardly implies a weak or ignoble lack of courage. a cowardly failure to stand up for principle pusillanimous suggests a contemptible lack of courage. the pusillanimous fear of a future full of possibility craven suggests extreme defeatism and complete lack of resistance. secretly despised her own craven yes-men dastardly often implies behavior that is both cowardly and treacherous or skulking or outrageous. a dastardly attack on unarmed civilians

Did You Know?

Do you know someone who has a small, weak spirit, someone whose reserve of inner strength is too small to draw from in times of danger and adversity? If so, you'll find pusillanimous to be the perfect descriptor for that person. The Latin roots of this derisive adjective are pusillus, meaning "very small" (and related to pusus, meaning "boy") and animus, which means "spirit" and is the ancestor to many words in our language, including "animal" and "animate." Pusillanimous first appeared in English in the 16th century, but it gained prominence in the 1970s when Vice President Spiro Agnew famously accused his ideological rivals of "pusillanimous pussyfooting." And despite what you may have heard, pusillanimous does not serve as the basis for pussyfoot, pussycat, or a certain related vulgarism.

Examples of pusillanimous in a Sentence

pusillanimous politicians who vote according to whichever way the political wind is blowing

Recent Examples on the Web

 The pusillanimous, corporate-speak testimony of several corporate executives is quoted at length — perhaps at too great a length. — Douglas Preston, New York Times, "A Disaster at Sea, Animated by 26 Hours of Black-Box Recordings," 1 May 2018 Her predicament parallels Attila’s growing sense that much of his own work is pusillanimous and dangerously indulgent. — Melanie Finn, New York Times, "When a Young Immigrant Vanishes in London, Can a Wildlife Biologist Help?," 20 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pusillanimous.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of pusillanimous

15th century, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for pusillanimous

Late Latin pusillanimis, from Latin pusillus very small (diminutive of pusus boy) + animus spirit; perhaps akin to Latin puer child — more at puerile, animate

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More Definitions for pusillanimous

pusillanimous

adjective
How to pronounce pusillanimous (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of pusillanimous

formal : weak and afraid of danger

See the full definition for pusillanimous in the English Language Learners Dictionary

More from Merriam-Webster on pusillanimous

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for pusillanimous

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