anima Italian · revision 38112

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1151, Osimo document (as alima)|origins=ine-pro *h₂enh₁mos}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈa.ni.ma/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''anima''' ''f'' (plural anime)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old Italian forms include [[alma]], ''arma'', ''anema'', ''annima'' and ''alima''.^(TLIO)^(LEI) ''Alma'' and ''arma'' survive as poetic forms.^(Gabrielli 2020)^(REW 1935)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ DELI and Nocentini treat it as a learned word, [[bor|la|anima|t=breath; life; soul]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003) The LEI notes that the Latin word lives on in every Romance language and that popular and learned forms are hard to tell apart: [[roa-oit|alma]], [[roa-oit|arma]] and [[roa-oit|anema]] are popular, and the form with /i/ kept may be learned.^(LEI|2, 1284) [[alma|alt=Alma]] is now a poetic doublet.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary) The Romance outcomes include [[fr|âme]], [[pro|anma]], [[es|alma]], [[pt|alma]] and [[ro|inimă|t=heart]].^(LEI|2, 1284)^(REW 1935)

+

+ The noun belongs with [[la|animus|t=mind, spirit]], from [[itc-pro|*anamo-|t=breath, spirit]] and [[ine-pro|*h₂enh₁mos|t=breath]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Related words are [[grc|ἄνεμος|tr=ánemos|t=wind]], [[osc|anams|t=courage, breath]] and [[sga|anim|t=soul]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(DELI 1999) Nocentini adds [[sa|अनिति|tr=ániti|t=breathes]].^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The oldest record is a document of 1151 from Osimo, in the Marche, with ''per alima sua'' (for his soul).^(LEI|2, 1284)^(TLIO) DELI's first record of ''anima'' is ''Fiori e vita di filosofi'' (1270–1275), for the spiritual and immortal part of man.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old Italian took over the Aristotelian division of the soul into ''anima vegetativa'', ''sensitiva'' and ''razionale''.^(TLIO) The ''Tesoro'' translation calls the soul “la più nobile parte dell'uomo” (the noblest part of man), giving him life, knowledge and memory.^(GDLI) By the end of the 13th century the word could mean a person, in Brunetto Latini, and about 1340 the translation of Palladius used it for the inner part of a thing.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ That last sense gave many technical uses: the core of a rope or cable, the bore of a gun barrel, the sound post of a violin and the core of a casting mould.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary) [[animella|alt=Animella]], the sweetbread, is a diminutive in this sense, and [[ro|inimă]] “heart” shows a similar shift.^(Nocentini 2010) Dialects use the word for a fruit stone, as in Old Bergamasque, and in insect names such as ''anima bianca'' for the dragonfly.^(REW 1935)^(DEI|207) Count nouns such as ''un paese di mille anime'' use it for the inhabitants of a place.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1151 – ''Alima'' in a document from Osimo.^(LEI|2, 1284)

+ * About 1274 – GRADIT's date for ''anima''.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 1270–1275 – ''Fiori e vita di filosofi'' uses it for the immortal soul.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1294 – Brunetto Latini uses it for a living being.^(DELI 1999)

+ * About 1340 – The translation of Palladius uses it for the inner part of a thing.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 15th century – ''Animella'' is first recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1905 – ''Animismo'', from English ''animism''.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The [[m|en|soul]], the immaterial principle of life and consciousness, in many religions immortal and separable from the body: ''Pregava per la salvezza della propria anima.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # Conscience; the inner self as the seat of feelings: ''Mi sono sentito toccare l'anima da quella musica.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # A person seen in terms of moral or spiritual qualities: ''È un'anima generosa.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # A person, an [[m|en|inhabitant]]: ''un villaggio di trecento anime'', ''non c'era anima viva''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # The soul of a dead person: ''le anime del purgatorio''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(TLIO)

+ # A term of endearment: ''anima mia''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # The person or thing that gives life to something; its essential element: ''Marta è l'anima del gruppo.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Feeling, passion put into an activity: ''Canta con tutta l'anima.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # The inner part or core of an object, (technical) the bore of a gun, the core of a cable, the [[m|en|sound post]] of a violin, the core of a mould.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(psychology)'' In Jung's theory, the inner personality, the feminine side of a man.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[animella]]

+ * [[animare]]

+ * [[animato]]

+ * [[animazione]]

+ * [[animatore]]

+ * [[rianimare]]

+ * [[animismo]]

+ * [[esanime]]

+ * [[esanimare]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[alma]]

+ * [[animale]]

+ * [[animula]]

+ * [[la|anima]]

+ * [[la|animus]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Fixed phrases include ''anima gemella'' (soulmate), ''anima e corpo'' (wholeheartedly), ''buon'anima'' (of a dear one who has died), ''rendere l'anima a Dio'' (to die) and the vulgar ''rompere l'anima'' (to pester).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011) ''All'anima!'' is a colloquial exclamation of surprise.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}