Asinus

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An animal of the equine family characterized by long ears and a braying sound
2. a term for a stubborn person who is often foolish or unreasonably obstinate
3. a symbol in various cultures representing patience, humility, and endurance

Etymology: "Asinus" is the Latin word for "donkey" or "ass," and it has been a standing insult for stubbornness and stupidity since antiquity. Latin writers used it of people as well as animals, and the animal sense still lies behind the English word "ass," which came into the language in Old English as "assa" and was borrowed from Latin "asinus" via a Germanic route. The Latin word itself is generally traced to a Mediterranean source, possibly from a pre-Greek language, so its deepest origin is uncertain. The insult carries more than a sneer. Donkeys have a reputation for refusing to move when they feel threatened or overloaded, and Roman speakers applied that behaviour to obstinate people. The Latin phrase "asinus ad lyram" ("a donkey at the lyre") was a proverb for a dull person who cannot appreciate fine things, showing how thoroughly the animal stood for ignorance.

Synonyms: donkey, ass, burro, mule

Antonyms: horse, stallion, mare