timorous

[ tim-er-uhs ]
See synonyms for timorous on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. full of fear; fearful: The noise made them timorous.

  2. subject to fear; timid.

  1. characterized by or indicating fear: a timorous whisper.

Origin of timorous

1
1400–50; late Middle English <Medieval Latin timōrōsus (Latin timōr- (stem of timor) fear + -ōsus-ous)

synonym study For timorous

1. See cowardly.

Other words from timorous

  • tim·or·ous·ly, adverb
  • tim·or·ous·ness, noun
  • o·ver·tim·or·ous, adjective
  • o·ver·tim·or·ous·ly, adverb
  • o·ver·tim·or·ous·ness, noun
  • un·tim·or·ous, adjective
  • un·tim·or·ous·ly, adverb
  • un·tim·or·ous·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for timorous

timorous

/ (ˈtɪmərəs) /


adjective
  1. fearful or timid

  2. indicating fear or timidity

Origin of timorous

1
C15: from Old French temoros, from Medieval Latin timōrōsus, from Latin timor fear, from timēre to be afraid

Derived forms of timorous

  • timorously, adverb
  • timorousness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012