animus

noun

an·​i·​mus ˈa-nə-məs 

1

: a usually prejudiced and often spiteful or malevolent ill will

harbored an animus toward them

… the sixties mentality, with its strong animus against what it defines as "elitism" …

—Daniel J. Singal

2

: basic attitude or governing spirit : disposition, intention

3

: an inner masculine part of the female personality in the analytical psychology of Carl Gustav Jung compare anima

Did you know?

Animus has long referred to the rational or animating components of a person's psyche (it derives from Latin animus, which can mean "spirit," "mind," "courage," or "anger"). Since a key animating component of personality can be temper, the word came to mean animosity, especially ill will that is driven by strong prejudice. The term is also used in the analytic psychology of C. G. Jung in reference to an inner masculine part of the female personality. The English animus is closely related to words such as animosity, magnanimous, and unanimous, but it is not as closely related to other similar-looking terms such as animal and animate. Those latter terms derive from the Latin anima, a distinct term that means "soul" or "breath" and that suggests someone's physical vitality or life force—the breath of life.

Synonyms

• animosity
• antagonism
• antipathy
• bad blood
• bitterness
• enmity
• gall
• grudge
• hostility
• jaundice
• rancor

Choose the Right Synonym for animus

enmity, hostility, antipathy, antagonism, animosity, rancor, animus mean deep-seated dislike or ill will.

enmity suggests positive hatred which may be open or concealed.

an unspoken enmity

hostility suggests an enmity showing itself in attacks or aggression.

hostility between the two nations

antipathy and antagonism imply a natural or logical basis for one's hatred or dislike, antipathy suggesting repugnance, a desire to avoid or reject, and antagonism suggesting a clash of temperaments leading readily to hostility.

a natural antipathy for self-seekers

antagonism between the brothers

animosity suggests intense ill will and vindictiveness that threaten to kindle hostility.

animosity that led to revenge

rancor is especially applied to bitter brooding over a wrong.

rancor filled every line of his letters

animus adds to animosity the implication of strong prejudice.

objections devoid of personal animus

Examples of animus in a Sentence

She felt an animus against them.

feeling no animus toward those who had wronged her

Recent Examples on the Web

Accentuating the rivalry and animus: Florida had just won in Boston for a fifth straight time in the postseason. —Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 13 May 2024

Their shop was becoming a safe harbor for many Black North Texans as racial animus roiled the nation shortly after the deaths of Trayvon Martin, George Floyd, and Fort Worth’s own Atatiana Jefferson. —Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 May 2024

The Trump team later in the day used its opportunity to question Daniels to paint her as motivated by personal animus and profiting off her claims against Trump. —Michael R. Sisak, Fortune, 8 May 2024

Even though Black men originally participated, racial animus led to the near total exclusion of Black people from the sport in the Jim Crow era. —TIME, 4 May 2024

In a fanciful twist, Texas and California have cast their red-blue animus aside and forged the Western Forces, a secessionist axis seeking to topple the President (the ruthless, mirthless Nick Offerman), a despot who has appointed himself to a third term. —Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2024

There isn’t any animus, but why string things along? —The Indianapolis Star, 14 Mar. 2024

Much of the animus was trained on then-City Councilmember Mike Bonin and his son, who is Black. —Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2023

The reason for this shift is obvious: Anti-LGBTQ animus is still socially acceptable. —Morgan Polikoff, The Mercury News, 28 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin, spirit, mind, courage, anger

First Known Use

1795, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Medical Definition

animus

noun

an·​i·​mus ˈan-ə-məs 

: an inner masculine part of the female personality in the analytical psychology of C. G. Jung compare anima sense 1

Legal Definition

animus

noun

an·​i·​mus ˈa-nə-məs 

: intent

discriminatory animus

compare mens rea

Etymology

Latin, mind, soul