The lack of bravery or courage; the quality of being unwilling to face danger or difficulty because you're afraid.
From Old French 'couardise,' derived from 'couard' (coward), which comes from 'coe' (tail) plus '-ard' (a pejorative suffix), suggesting someone who tucks their tail and runs—literally calling cowardly people 'tail-bearers.'
The word 'coward' literally means 'someone with a tail'—an insulting medieval way of saying someone acts like a scared animal—and this word traveled almost unchanged through English, French, and German, showing how this one cruel metaphor for fear was shared across European languages.
Historically weaponized against men failing warrior/masculine ideals; also used to shame women entering military or leadership. Tied to gendered honor codes.
Use to describe inaction when describing behavior, not character of individuals. Avoid as personal insult.
["avoidance","hesitation","inaction"]
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.