coy
adjective
artfully or affectedly shy or reserved; slyly hesitant; coquettish.
coy
American
[koi]
/ kɔɪ /
adjective
-
coyer,
comparative
-
coyest
superlative
-
artfully or affectedly shy or reserved; slyly hesitant; coquettish.
-
showing reluctance, especially when insincere or affected, to reveal one's plans or opinions, make a commitment, or take a stand.
The mayor was coy about his future political aspirations.
-
Archaic. disdainful; aloof.
-
Obsolete. quiet; reserved.
verb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
Obsolete.
-
to quiet; soothe.
-
to pat; caress.
coy
1
British
/ kɔɪ /
adjective
-
(usually of a woman) affectedly demure, esp in a playful or provocative manner
-
shy; modest
-
evasive, esp in an annoying way
Coy.
2
British
abbreviation
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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coyishnessnoun
-
coynessnoun
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overcoynessnoun
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uncoynessnoun
-
coyishadjective
-
overcoyadjective
-
uncoyadjective
-
coylyadverb
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of coy
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Anglo-French coi, quoy “calm,” Old French quei, from unattested Vulgar Latin quētus, for Latin quiētus quiet
Explanation
Take the adjective coy for a person who pretends to be shy but really isn't, or someone who could give a definite answer but won't. Coy behavior can be playful or just plain annoying. Originally meaning "quiet and shy," today someone who is coy pretends to be shy in a playful manner — often as a form of flirting. If a politician is coy about something, he or she only gives vague statements on an issue for fear of committing to a position or angering his or her constituency. Common to both of these senses is the fact that a person uses coyness to subtly manipulate his or her audience.
Vocabulary lists containing coy
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"To His Coy Mistress" by Andrew Marvell
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The Things They Carried
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
But more than a year after its grand opening, the bank has been coy about the cost.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026
The “Lanterns” showrunner remained coy when asked whether this lantern’s more ominous origins could lead to any unintended consequences for Stewart.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 5, 2026
However, the Marvel star kept coy about where exactly he and Zendaya would be staying with her relatives: “Where we’ll be is a secret.”
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026
The word “DeFiant” was a coy wink to this idea of decentralized currency, known as DeFi, the ostensible rationale for the new Trump–Witkoff platform.
From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2026
But knowing what I know, I’m all out of time for coy.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
None of the man's old Coy. officers are here.
From Letters from Mesopotamia in 1915 and January, 1916, from Robert Palmer, who was killed in the Battle of Um El Hannah, June 21, 1916, aged 27 years by Robert Stafford Arthur Palmer
"A" Coy. has been working at top pressure there, entrenching and putting up wire entanglements.
From Letters from Mesopotamia in 1915 and January, 1916, from Robert Palmer, who was killed in the Battle of Um El Hannah, June 21, 1916, aged 27 years by Robert Stafford Arthur Palmer
A man in our Coy. died last night.
From Letters from Mesopotamia in 1915 and January, 1916, from Robert Palmer, who was killed in the Battle of Um El Hannah, June 21, 1916, aged 27 years by Robert Stafford Arthur Palmer
Coy. and I share a 40lb. tent with him.
From Letters from Mesopotamia in 1915 and January, 1916, from Robert Palmer, who was killed in the Battle of Um El Hannah, June 21, 1916, aged 27 years by Robert Stafford Arthur Palmer
Page Roberts, and "D" Coy. the third line under Capt.
From Letters from Mesopotamia in 1915 and January, 1916, from Robert Palmer, who was killed in the Battle of Um El Hannah, June 21, 1916, aged 27 years by Robert Stafford Arthur Palmer
One of the prominent members is Yuri Barsakov, whose coyer is the Izvestia News Agency.
From Time Magazine Archive
Unlike his coyer colleagues, Wilson was never afraid to turn his searchlight on himself.
From Time Magazine Archive
Sir: You have so frightened the South African government by your coyer story that they cannot make up their minds whether or not to let us read it.
From Time Magazine Archive
The storage reservoir, from which it draws Pioneer, Utah. its water, will coyer an area of 2000 acres, and contain about 15,000 million gallons of water.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Slice 3 "Apollodorus" to "Aral" by Various
Let the winter mulch not only coyer the row, but reach a foot on either side.
From Success with Small Fruits by Edward Payson Roe
To him, language is fundamentally the language of love: man wooing meaning, down to the coyest nuance, the most maidenly scruple.
From Time Magazine Archive
The following year, all the kiddie stars were lisping the lyrics of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and 1952 brought the coyest Christmas hit, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.
From Time Magazine Archive
The coyest and most courted region in the 1968 election season is the South.
From Time Magazine Archive
Ellen DeGeneres made the rounds of the hipper talk shows last week in what appeared to be the coyest exercise in trial ballooning since Colin Powell's book tour.
From Time Magazine Archive
Alas! truth in Spain is coyest of sparrows, and to be caught must have not a grain but a whole bushel of salt shaken over its tail.
From Romantic Spain A Record of Personal Experiences (Vol. I) by John Augustus O'Shea
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