We explain what cowardness means, the origin of the term and its historical use. Also, examples of its use in sentences.
What does cowardly mean?
The adjective cowardness in English is used to refer to those people lacking in spirits, courage or courage to make decisions or face difficult or challenging situations. It is also used to designate the attitudes of these people, that is, as a synonym for helplessness, weakness, cowardice, irresolution or softness.
This term comes from the Latin word “coe” (tail), built from the French couard. In ancient Roman times, it was accused of being cowards (that is, of having a small or insignificant soul) to those who exhibited cowardly, creeping behaviors, or lived too timidly to face life itself, like the frightened animals running with their tail between their feet.
It was also used by the Roman jurist and writer Cicero (106-43 BC) as a synonym for mean or ungenerous, but that meaning was not the one that ended up being imposed with the passing of history. For that reason, there is confusion as to whether magnanimus (from magnus, “big and animus) would have been its antonym, which seems unlikely, since the term “magnanimous” is nowadays synonymous with “generous”.
Thus today we employ cowardly to who lacks the courage to defend their ideas or to face difficulties, that is, for the opposite of courage and bravery.
Examples of use of the word cowardly
Here are some examples of the use of the word “fainthearted”:
- “I can’t stand the cowardness of this character in the movie ”.
- “Yesterday I faced my rival and he behaved in a very cowardly way”.
- “These politicians cowardly fainthearted they will not be able to properly lead the nation “
- “Hell is reserved for those who live the life of cowardness”.
- “Do not allow yourself a cowardly attitude”.