fraidycat

noun Informal.

a timid, easily frightened person: often used by children.

Also called scaredy-cat.

Origin:
1905–10; fraid (aphetic form of afraid) + -y¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

fraidy-cat

"coward," c.1910 slang, from child's pronunciation of afraid + cat (q.v.).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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00:10

Fraidycat is always a great word to know.

So is callithumpian. Does it mean:

a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes.

a gadget; dingus; thingumbob.

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fraid·y-cat