'animoso' originates from Italian, specifically the word 'animoso', where the root 'animo' meant 'spirit' or 'mind'.

'animoso' developed from Latin 'animus' (meaning 'mind, spirit') into Italian 'animo' and then the adjective 'animoso', later used in musical notation in other European languages.

Initially it meant 'having spirit' or 'full of spirit'; over time it became a conventional musical direction meaning 'animated, spirited' in performance context.