cowardly Definition

coward
noun

1. Someone easily frightened, or lacking courage to face danger or difficulty.

Thesaurus: caitiff, recreant, dastard, poltroon, sissy, wimp (slang), chicken (slang), yellow-belly (slang).
2. Someone who acts brutally towards the weak or undefended.

Derivative: cowardice
noun

The quality of lacking courage
Thesaurus: fearfulness, timidity, pusillanimity; Antonym: bravery, valor.

Derivative: cowardly
adverb

Of or characteristic of a coward
Thesaurus: fearful, craven, trembling, yellow, lily-livered, timorous, irresolute, spineless, gutless, wimpy (slang); Antonym: brave, heroic, intrepid.

Derivative: cowardliness
noun

Etymology: 13c: from French cuard, from Latin cauda tail; thought, perhaps, to refer to a frightened animal with its tail between its legs.