We’re all about giving compliments, but if you need a new word to beef up your burns, try out “pusillanimous.” This 15th-century adjective comes from the Latin “pusilus,” meaning “very small,” and “animus,” meaning “spirit.” “Small spirit” turned into “pusillanimous” in English, describing someone lacking courage or resolution. If someone is cowardly or doesn’t stand up for themself, they are pusillanimous.