poltroon
Americannoun
adjective
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
- poltroonery noun
- poltroonish adjective
- poltroonishly adverb
Etymology
Origin of poltroon
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
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.
We’ve been remarking on the tendency of powerful institutions to act like poltroons when confronted by bullies.
From Los Angeles Times
What a miserable little poltroon had fear, engendered of unjust punishment, made of me in those days!
From Literature
“Complete and total catastrophe” sounds about right for such a conflagration of poltroons as that.
From Fox News
“Do you think I’m a poltroon?” he asked, the way a young girl might ask whether her dress was unflattering.
From Literature
The NRA continues to be a sad bunch of poltroons hiding behind the 2nd Amendment.
From New York Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
