timorous

[tim-er-uhs]

adjective

1. full of fear; fearful.

   The noise made them timorous.

2. subject to fear; timid.

3. characterized by or indicating fear.

   a timorous whisper.

timorous

/ ˈtɪmərəs /

adjective

1. fearful or timid

2. indicating fear or timidity

Other Word Forms

• timorously adverb
• timorousness noun
• overtimorous adjective
• overtimorously adverb
• overtimorousness noun
• untimorous adjective
• untimorously adverb
• untimorousness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of timorous¹

1400–50; late Middle English < Medieval Latin timōrōsus ( Latin timōr- (stem of timor ) fear + -ōsus -ous )

Word History and Origins

Origin of timorous¹

C15: from Old French temoros, from Medieval Latin timōrōsus, from Latin timor fear, from timēre to be afraid

Synonym Study

See cowardly.