General meaning of Animus
by Marcia
(Hingham, Mass)
As I understand the Latin definition of ANIMUS - I wanted to name a company by that name because of its strong sense of will and spirit - in a positive vain.
I'm concerned that this may not be the case for some people who merely look for a definition and by-pass its truest meaning.
How can I better describe the positivity of this word?
Hi Marcia,
While animosity is derived from animus, I don't think too many people would make negative associations upon hearing the word animus. See a previous post on this subject.
Aslo see a previous post for the general meaning of animus.
As for better describing the positivity of this word, just look it up in a Latin dictionary. There are no negative meanings in Latin. Whitaker's Words gives the following: mind; intellect; soul; feelings; heart; spirit, courage, character, pride; air.
Hope this helps, and thanks for asking a Latin teacher.
Sincerely,
John