anima

American  

[an-uh-muh] / ˈæn ə mə /

noun

1. soul; life.

2. (in the psychology of C. G. Jung)

   1. the inner personality that is turned toward the unconscious of the individual (contrasted with persona).

   2. the feminine principle, especially as present in men.

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anima British  

/ ˈænɪmə /

noun

1. 1. the feminine principle as present in the male unconscious

   2. the inner personality, which is in communication with the unconscious See also animus

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Etymology

Origin of anima

1920–25; < Latin: breath, vital force, soul, spirit

Compare meaning

How does anima compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• anima vs. animus

Explanation

Your anima is the unconscious part of your mind that works automatically, without introspection or awareness. Some psychologists believe your anima affects your dreams, fears, and habits. Psychologist Carl Jung came up with the ideas of anima and animus, parts of your psyche — or spirit — that connect with the deepest, most subconscious aspects of the mind. Originally, Jung used anima to talk about the feminine parts of a man's personality. The Latin origin of the word is animus, "rational soul, life, or intelligence," from a root that means "to blow" or "to breathe."

Example Sentences

Si su proveedor de servicios le anima a mentir o no decir la verdad completa, dijo Davenport, eso es una indicación de problemas.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 18, 2023

What fellow analyst Carl Jung called the anima, the feminine, is denied; the animus is embraced.

From Golf Digest • Jul. 12, 2018

Here are some interesting references regarding poetic attributes of a positive anima.

From New York Times • Oct. 18, 2016

All the while retaining the anima and spirit of a classic, without the deadening encumberments of electronics like traction or stability controls.

From The Verge • Feb. 2, 2016

Introduced was a careful sentence to bring della Porta’s discussion of the soul in line with Christian teaching, and all references to the world soul, the anima mundi, were now carefully turned into quotations.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton