Word
anima
Phoneticsan·i·ma
UK/ˈænɪmɐ/
Definitions
01animating spirit
n. the soul or the part of a living thing that gives it life.
n. the soul or animating principle of a living organism, traditionally contrasted with the 'animus' or rational mind.
“Ancient philosophers debated whether the anima survived after the body died.”
“The poet explores the concept of the anima as a breath of life that connects all sentient beings to the natural world.”
Academic · Literary
Usage
Often used in philosophical or theological contexts regarding the nature of existence.
02inner feminine self
n. in psychology, the feminine part of a man's personality that stays in his unconscious mind.
n. the unconscious feminine aspect of the male psyche, serving as a bridge to the collective unconscious.
“In his dreams, the man's anima appeared as a wise woman guiding him through a forest.”
“Jungian analysts suggest that a man must integrate his anima to achieve psychological wholeness and emotional maturity.”
Technical · Academic
Usage
Specific to Jungian analytical psychology; usually contrasted with the 'persona' or 'animus'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Etymology
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.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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englishreference.com/q/anima