anima
|an-i-ma|
/ˈænɪmə/
animating soul; inner feminine side
Etymology
'anima' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'anima,' where the root meant 'breath, life, soul,' ultimately from Proto-Indo-European '*h₂enh₁-' meaning 'to breathe.'
'anima' was borrowed into English from Latin through scholarly and philosophical usage; in the 20th century it was popularized in psychology by Carl Jung as a technical term.
Initially, it meant 'breath/life/soul'; in modern English it commonly refers to Jung’s concept of the inner feminine in a man, while the older philosophical sense 'soul' remains in learned contexts.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
in Jungian psychology, the inner feminine aspect of a man’s personality, often personified in dreams and myths.
In Jungian theory, the anima mediates between the conscious ego and the unconscious.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Idioms
Last updated: 2025/08/11 14:38