poltroon

[pol-troon]

noun

1. a wretched coward; craven.

   Synonyms: dastard

adjective

1. marked by utter cowardice.

poltroon

/ pɒlˈtruːn /

noun

1. an abject or contemptible coward

adjective

1. a rare word for cowardly

Other Word Forms

• poltroonery noun
• poltroonish adjective
• poltroonishly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of poltroon¹

1520–30; earlier pultrowne, pultron, poultroone < Middle French poultron < Old Italian poltrone idler, coward, derivative of poltro foal < Vulgar Latin *pulliter, derivative of Latin pullus young animal; foal

Word History and Origins

Origin of poltroon¹

C16: from Old French poultron, from Old Italian poltrone lazy good-for-nothing, apparently from poltrīre to lie indolently in bed, from poltro bed

Example Sentences

We’ve been remarking on the tendency of powerful institutions to act like poltroons when confronted by bullies.

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“Complete and total catastrophe” sounds about right for such a conflagration of poltroons as that.

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The NRA continues to be a sad bunch of poltroons hiding behind the 2nd Amendment.

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Apparently not to be confused or conflated with poltroon...

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In one, he killed a man who had insulted him as “a worthless scoundrel, a poltroon and a coward.”

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