Animose

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Having a spirited, bold, or courageous disposition; full of vigor and determination in facing challenges
2. Exhibiting a lively, vigorous demeanor that embodies strength and courage in facing difficulties
3. Displaying strong enthusiasm and bravery when confronting obstacles

Etymology: "Animose" came into English from Middle English "animos," which was itself borrowed from Latin "animosus," meaning full of courage, bold, spirited, or even proud. The Latin root is "animus," a word that carried the sense of courage and spirit as well as the mind, so the original idea was less about temperament than about the vital force a person brings to a challenge. That is the source of the modern sense: someone who meets difficulty with vigor and bravery. Latin "animosus" built on "animus" with the common adjective suffix "-osus," meaning "full of," so the word literally describes someone full of spirit. English kept the sense of spiritedness, though the word is now uncommon and reads as somewhat old-fashioned.

Synonyms: active, vigorous, animated

Antonyms: inactive, lethargic