What does cowardice mean?
Cowardice is the quality of being a coward: an excessive or shameful lack of courage in the face of danger, pain, or difficulty. The term applies both to physical situations — fleeing battle, shrinking from risk — and to moral ones, such as refusing to speak up against injustice for fear of consequences. Because of this dual use, cowardice carries a strongly negative, condemnatory force; to describe an action as cowardice is rarely neutral. It appears frequently in phrases like 'sheer cowardice' or 'an act of cowardice,' and it contrasts with virtues such as courage, bravery, and fortitude. The word entered English through Old French, ultimately deriving from the Latin word for 'tail,' reflecting the image of a frightened animal turning tail and running. As a relatively formal abstract noun, cowardice is common in literature, journalism, and moral argument wherever human failure under pressure is being judged.
nounExcessive fear in the face of danger or difficulty, especially when it leads someone to avoid doing what is right or required.
- Lack of bravery in the face of danger, pain, or difficulty.
- Failure to act morally or do one's duty out of fear.
"His refusal to testify was seen by many as an act of sheer cowardice."
"She despised her own cowardice in staying silent during the meeting."
"Deserting his comrades under fire was condemned as cowardice of the worst kind."
Rarely pluralized; the plural appears only in formal or literary writing referring to multiple distinct acts of cowardice.
"The memoir catalogues the small cowardices of everyday life."
Cowardice literally traces back to an animal 'turning tail' — the word comes from Latin cauda, meaning tail, via Old French coue.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of cowardice
Cowardice derives from the Old French couardise, formed from couard ('coward'), which in turn comes from coue, meaning 'tail,' from Latin cauda. The underlying image is that of a frightened creature putting its tail between its legs or turning tail to flee. The word passed into Middle English and has been used since at least the late medieval period to denote want of courage.
Related word forms
How cowardice is actually used
The word is almost always pejorative and carries strong moral condemnation; it is more formal and abstract than calling someone a coward directly.
Easily confused with cowardice
A coward is the person who lacks courage, while cowardice is the quality or behavior of lacking it.