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