coy en · ADJ · etymology 1
Pronunciation
Etymology
From Middle English coy, from Old French coi, earlier quei (“quiet, still”), from Latin qu(i)ētus (“resting, at rest”). Doublet of quit, quiet, quite, and quietus.
Meanings
- (dated) Bashful, shy, retiring.
- (archaic) Quiet, reserved, modest.
- Reluctant to give details about something sensitive; notably prudish.
-
Pretending shyness or modesty, especially in an insincere or flirtatious way.
The ill-bred miss, the bird-brained Jill, / May simper and be coy at will; / A lady, sir, as you will find, / Keeps counsel, or she speaks her mind, / Means what she says and scorns to fence / And palter with feigned innocence.
1981, A. D. Hope, “His Coy Mistress to Mr. Marvell”, in A Book of Answers:
-
Soft, gentle, hesitating.
Enforced hate, / Instead of love's coy touch, shall rudely tear thee.
1594, William Shakespeare, Lucrece (First Quarto), London: […] Richard Field, for Iohn Harrison, […], →OCLC:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| coyest | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| coyer | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |
Deriveds
coyly · coily · coyness · uncoy · overcoy · coyish · accoy
Translations (93)
hu félénk (bashful, shy) · fi ujo (archaic: quiet, reserved, modest) · tr mahcup (archaic: quiet, reserved, modest) · tr cilveli (pretending shyness or modesty) · nl verlegen (archaic: quiet, reserved, modest) · es gazmoñero (pretending shyness or modesty) · fi hiljainen (archaic: quiet, reserved, modest) · de verlegen (bashful, shy) · bg тих (archaic: quiet, reserved, modest) · tr muhteriz (bashful, shy) · es remilgado (pretending shyness or modesty) · es hacerse el tímido (pretending shyness or modesty) · tr nazlı (pretending shyness or modesty) · bg сдържан (reluctant to give details about something sensitive) · tr utangaç (bashful, shy) · fi ujo (bashful, shy) · tr çekingen (bashful, shy) · es melindroso (pretending shyness or modesty) · de diskret (reluctant to give details about something sensitive) · de kokett (pretending shyness or modesty) · ka მორცხვი (bashful, shy) · es discreto (reluctant to give details about something sensitive) · cs mlčenlivý (reluctant to give details about something sensitive) · bg свенлив (bashful, shy) · it schivo (archaic: quiet, reserved, modest) · de verschämt (archaic: quiet, reserved, modest) · es tímidamente seductor (pretending shyness or modesty) · wa coe (archaic: quiet, reserved, modest) · nl schuchter (archaic: quiet, reserved, modest) · nl discreet (reluctant to give details about something sensitive) · bg дискретен (reluctant to give details about something sensitive) · ka მორიდებული (archaic: quiet, reserved, modest) · de keusch (bashful, shy) · es timorato (pretending shyness or modesty) · tr mahcup (bashful, shy) · cs stydlivý (bashful, shy) · cs zdrženlivý (reluctant to give details about something sensitive) · gl tímido (bashful, shy) · cs plachý (bashful, shy) · nl terughoudend (reluctant to give details about something sensitive) · bg срамежлив (bashful, shy) · es pacato (pretending shyness or modesty) · tr muhteriz (archaic: quiet, reserved, modest) · fr coi (archaic: quiet, reserved, modest) · nl bedeesd (archaic: quiet, reserved, modest) · hu tartózkodó (archaic: quiet, reserved, modest) · ru скро́мный (archaic: quiet, reserved, modest) · bg мълчалив (archaic: quiet, reserved, modest) · cs nesmělý (bashful, shy) · fi vaitonainen (archaic: quiet, reserved, modest) · es tímidamente coqueto (pretending shyness or modesty) · nl kuis (reluctant to give details about something sensitive) · cmn 矜持 (pretending shyness or modesty) · ko 내숭 (pretending shyness or modesty) · nl timide (bashful, shy) · ru сде́ржанный (reluctant to give details about something sensitive) · gl coqueto (pretending shyness or modesty) · ru мягкий (soft, gentle, hesitating) · tr işveli (pretending shyness or modesty) · de zurückhaltend (archaic: quiet, reserved, modest) · ru нежный (soft, gentle, hesitating) · cs ostýchavý (bashful, shy) · es gazmoño (pretending shyness or modesty) · de schüchtern (archaic: quiet, reserved, modest) · ru засте́нчивый (bashful, shy) · fr timide (bashful, shy) · nl timide (archaic: quiet, reserved, modest) · fi häveliäs (pretending shyness or modesty) · de zurückhaltend (soft, gentle, hesitating) · tr nazende (pretending shyness or modesty) · cs diskrétní (reluctant to give details about something sensitive) · cs zdrženlivý (archaic: quiet, reserved, modest) · pt reservado (reluctant to give details about something sensitive) · es tímido (bashful, shy) · it timido (bashful, shy) · hu szemérmes (bashful, shy) · nl koket (pretending shyness or modesty) · fi hellä (soft, gentle, hesitating) · nl bescheiden (reluctant to give details about something sensitive) · nl bedeesd (bashful, shy) · ka თავშეკავებული (reluctant to give details about something sensitive) · it modesto (reluctant to give details about something sensitive) · es recatado (archaic: quiet, reserved, modest) · es tímido pero coqueto (pretending shyness or modesty) · nl bescheiden (archaic: quiet, reserved, modest) · nl verlegen (bashful, shy) · es fingidamente tímido (pretending shyness or modesty) · fi häveliäs (reluctant to give details about something sensitive) · hu szégyenlős (bashful, shy) · de prüde (reluctant to give details about something sensitive) · ru ро́бкий (bashful, shy) · gl túzaro (bashful, shy) · es mojigato (pretending shyness or modesty)