DictionaryRoot: animus
Latin

animus

mind, spirit, or intention

Forms

  • animus
  • anim- — Used before other endings.

Origin

Related to Latin anima, “breath or life,” from an older breathing family.

Note

The word often concerned the inner disposition that drives action.

2 / 7
noun

animus

The masculine aspect of a woman's psyche in Jungian psychology.

Etymology

Latin animus names the mind or spirit. Jung used this grammatically masculine noun as the technical name for the masculine aspect of a woman’s psyche.

Full entry

Related word entries