cowardly的词源

英文词源

cowardly (adj.)

1550s, from coward + -ly (1). The adverb (late 14c.) is much older than the adjective:

Yit had I levir do what I may Than here to dye thus cowerdelye ["Le Morte d'Arthur," c. 1450]

An Old English word for "cowardly" was earg, which also meant "slothful." Related: Cowardliness.

中文词源

cowardly：胆怯的，怯懦的

来源于拉丁语cauda(尾巴)和古法语coart(胆小鬼),把尾巴和胆小鬼相联系大概是因为胆小的人一受到惊吓总像狗一样夹着尾巴逃跑。

该词的英语词源请访问趣词词源英文版：cowardly 词源，cowardly 含义。