Pū'sil-lān'i-mōus, a.
a. [Lat. pusillanimis, from pusillus, very little, dim. of pusus, a little boy, dim. of puer, a boy, and animus, the mind; It. pusillanimo, Sp. pusilánime, Fr. pusillanime.]
- Destitute of a manly or courageous strength and firmness of mind; of weak spirit; mean-spirited; cowardly;—said of persons; as, a pusillanimous prince.
- Evincing weakness of mind or want of courage; feeble; as, pusillanimous counsels.
We are apt to speak of a low and pusillanimous spirit as the ordinary cause by which dubious wars terminated in humiliating treaties. Burke. Syn.—Cowardly; dastardly; mean-spirited; faint-hearted; timid; weak; feeble.