English Explanatory Dictionary

cowardly

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Showing cowardice; lacking in courage; weakly fearful.
adv
  1. In the manner of a coward, cowardlily.

Pronunciation

/ˈkaʊədli/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-cowardly.wav

Word forms

cowardly cowardlier more cowardly cowardliest most cowardly

Etymology

From Middle English *cowardly (adjective) and cowardly (adverb), equivalent to coward + -ly. Displaced native Old English earg.

Synonyms

craven backboneless base bitch-ass boneless caitiff candy-assed chicken chicken-hearted chicken-livered chickenshit courageless cowardish cowardly cowardy cowhearted cowish cravenhearted cringey dastard dastardly dickless dough-faced fainthearted fearful fraidy gizzardless heartless invalorous invertebrate gutless hen-hearted kiasi lily-livered liver-faced liver-hearted low-hearted miching milky milk-livered mouse-hearted mousy nerveless niddering nidering niding nithing nutless pigeon-livered poltroonish poor-spirited punk pusillanimous pussylike ratlike rabbit-hearted recrayed retromingent sissy spineless

Antonyms

brave

Related words

shy afraid coward cowardice

Derived words

cowardlily cowardliness cowardly lion uncowardly
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