Pusillanimously
/ˌpjuː.sɪˈlæn.ɪ.məs.li/noun
In a manner that is timid or lacking in courage.
Did you know?This word reflects a time when courage was seen as a reflection of one's very soul, linking cowardice to a diminutive spirit in the eyes of society.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
pusillanimis
“Of small courage, cowardly.”
Middle French
Old French
pusillanime
“Cowardly, timid.”
17th Century
English
pusillanimous
“Timorous, lacking in courage.”
Modern English
English
pusillanimously
“In a cowardly or timid manner.”