The story
Derived from Latin pusillanimis (“faint-hearted, timid”) + -ous.
First known use, by meaning
- from 16th c. Showing ignoble cowardice, or contemptible timidity.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
pusillanimous
Today it means: Showing ignoble cowardice, or contemptible timidity. Full definition →
First used 16th c.