ISEE/SSAT Vocabulary Builder›Words›P›pusillanimous
ISEE/SSAThard
pusillanimous
lacking courage in a shameful or contemptible way
Synonyms
- cowardly
- craven
- timorous
Antonyms
- brave
- valiant
- resolute
pusillanimous in a sentence
His pusillanimous refusal to oppose the bully disappointed his friends.
The pusillanimous official abandoned his principles as soon as critics challenged him.
Where it comes from
From Latin pusillus, meaning 'small,' and animus, meaning 'spirit.'
Memory hook
PUSILLANIMOUS contains ANIMUS, or spirit: here the spirit is small and cowardly.
Word parts
- anim — life
pusillanimous: pusill (tiny) + anim (spirit) + -ous
Read it in context
- The Season of Reckoning History
- The Sealed County Papers History
- The Thawing Refuge Nature
Practice pusillanimous in the app