# anima vs animus

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### anima
*noun · IPA /ˈænɪmə/ · frequency rank #38,725*
The soul or animating principle of a living thing, especially as contrasted with the animus.

### animus
*noun · IPA /ˈæ.nɪ.məs/ · frequency rank #41,505*
The basic impulses and instincts which govern one's actions.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/anima-vs-animus