Coward

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈkaÊŠÉ™d/
• US IPA: /ˈkaÊŠÉšd/
• Hyphenation: co + ward
• Homophones: cowered

Origin

From Old French coart, cuard ( >

French couard), from coe ("tail") + -ard ("pejorative agent noun"); coe is in turn from Latin cauda. The reference seems to be to an animal “turning tail”, or having its tail between its legs, especially a dog.

Full definition of coward

Noun

1. A person who lacks courage.
• 1856: Gustave Flaubert, Madame Bovary, Part II Chapter IV, translated by Eleanor Marx-AvelingHe tortured himself to find out how he could make his declaration to her, and always halting between the fear of displeasing her and the shame of being such a coward, he wept with discouragement and desire. Then he took energetic resolutions, wrote letters that he tore up, put it off to times that he again deferred.

Synonyms

• chicken

Derived terms

• cowardly
• cowardice

Adjective

1. Cowardly.
• 1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essays, II.17:It is a coward and servile humour, for a man to disguise and hide himselfe under a maske, and not dare to shew himselfe as he is.
• ShakespeareHe raised the house with loud and coward cries.
• PriorInvading fears repel my coward joy.
2. (heraldry, of a lion) Borne in the escutcheon with his tail doubled between his legs.