Word of the Day
Word
Pusillanimous ()
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Difficulty
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Definition
Cowardly, timid, lacking courage, fainthearted, cowering, craven, fearful of danger, weak, timorous, afraid, meanspirited, recreant.
Details
PUSILLANIMOUS is a combination of the Latin PUSILLUS, petty, puny, insignificant, and ANIMUS, mind, heart. PUSILLANIMOUS means small-minded, little-hearted, lacking strength of mind, fainthearted, meanspirited. In the phrase: "PUSILLANIMOUS persons," the word is thought by 30% of adult readers to mean CONTEMPTUOUS. This may be a confusion of CONTEMPTUOUS with CONTEMPTIBLE. CONTEMPTIBLE means meriting contempt, mean, despicable, an adjective which might easily be applied to the PUSILLANIMOUS person. CONTEMPTUOUS means expressing contempt, scornful, disdainful, supercilious. By another 29% of adult readers PUSILLANIMOUS is thought to mean STRONG-MINDED, the exact opposite. Listen
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