# anima

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈænɪmə/ · frequency rank #38,725

## Definitions
1. The soul or animating principle of a living thing, especially as contrasted with the animus.
2. The inner self (not the external persona) of a person that is in touch with the unconscious as opposed to the persona.
3. The unconscious feminine aspect of a person.

## Etymology
Borrowed from Latin anima (“a current of air, wind, air, breath, the vital principle, life, soul”), sometimes equivalent to animus (“mind”), both from Proto-Indo-European *h₂enh₁- (“to breathe, blow”); see animus. Cognate with Ancient Greek ἄνεμος (ánemos, “wind”), Old English anda (“anger, envy, zeal”). More at onde.

## Easily confused with
- **Asia** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/anima-vs-asia)
- **anna** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/anima-vs-anna)
- **aria** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/anima-vs-aria)
- **Anya** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/anima-vs-anya)
- **Anita** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/anima-vs-anita)
- **aroma** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/anima-vs-aroma)
- **anion** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/anima-vs-anion)
- **anise** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/anima-vs-anise)
- **ANOVA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/anima-vs-anova)
- **animal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/anima-vs-animal)
- **Antifa** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/anima-vs-antifa)
- **animus** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/anima-vs-animus)
- **Annika** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/anima-vs-annika)
- **animals** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/anima-vs-animals)
- **animate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/anima-vs-animate)
- **aim** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/aim-vs-anima)
- **ana** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ana-vs-anima)
- **ama** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ama-vs-anima)
- **ani** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ani-vs-anima)
- **aims** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/aims-vs-anima)

## Common misspellings (6)
`ainma`, `aniam`, `animma`, `anmia`, `annima`, `naima`

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