anima

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*h₂enh₁-“to breathe, blow”
2. Latin · borrowed fromanima“a current of air, wind, air, breath, the vital principle, life, soul”
3. English todayanima

Borrowed from Latin anima (“a current of air, wind, air, breath, the vital principle, life, soul”), sometimes equivalent to animus (“mind”), both from Proto-Indo-European *h₂enh₁- (“to breathe, blow”); see animus. Cognate with Ancient Greek ἄνεμος (ánemos, “wind”), Old English anda (“anger, envy, zeal”). More at onde.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 10th c. The soul or animating principle of a living thing, especially as contrasted with the animus.
• from 20th c. The inner self (not the external persona) of a person that is in touch with the unconscious as opposed to the persona.
• from 20th c. The unconscious feminine aspect of a person.