cowardly
/ˈkaʊədli/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.42 in modern English
17
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
3
Syllables
8
Unique Chars
Meaning
Example Sentences
- "The cowardly rascals that ran from the battle."
- "1780, Edmund Burke, speech at The Guildhall, in Bristol The cowardly rashness of those who dare not look danger in the face."
- "We will not ſteale vpon him cowardly, But giue him warning and more warriours."
- "I love to follow them, but not so cowardly, as my life remaine thereby in subjection."
- "[…] men who cowardly and hypocritically subscribe orthodox creeds, whilst they teach a different kind of doctrine!"
Etymology
From Middle English *cowardly (adjective) and cowardly (adverb), equivalent to coward + -ly. Displaced native Old English earg.
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- British English: /ˈkaʊədli/
Usage
Inflected Forms
cowardlier (comparative)
more cowardly (comparative)
cowardliest (superlative)
most cowardly (superlative)