DictionaryRoot: coe
Old French
coe
tail
1 / 1
noun
cowardice
KOW-er-dis/ˈkaʊərdɪs/
Lack of courage when facing danger or difficulty.
Etymology
The “tail” root probably evokes an animal turning tail or holding its tail between its legs. With a derogatory person-ending it named someone lacking courage; the final suffix names that person's quality.