chicken-hearted

[ chik-uhn-hahr-tid ]

adjective

, Informal.

1. timid; fearful; cowardly.

chicken-hearted

adjective

1. easily frightened; cowardly

Derived Forms

• ˌchicken-ˈheartedly, adverb
• ˌchicken-ˈheartedness, noun

Other Words From

• chicken-hearted·ly adverb
• chicken-hearted·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of chicken-hearted¹

An Americanism dating back to 1675–85

Example Sentences

For the Dodgers to uninvite the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence from their Pride Night is chicken-hearted and shameful.

From Los Angeles Times

Kappe called Dasch "chicken-hearted," and said, "What kind of German are you? We Germans have one mission, which is to kill all the Jews."

From Literature

"Now I have nothing to fear. And I am not a chicken-hearted type. I've become even more confident in myself. Had I been younger, I would have gone to the fighting with you," Oleksandr brags to some Ukrainian soldiers.

From BBC

Joe Ruby, who helped invigorate Saturday morning children’s television as the co-creator of Scooby-Doo, the long-running animated franchise about a group of teenage private eyes and their chicken-hearted, snack-guzzling Great Dane, died Aug. 26 at his home in Westlake Village, Calif. He was 87.

From Washington Post

All of this only makes Moran’s willingness to stand up for the separation of powers and for democratic values more commendable - and the calculus of his colleagues more chicken-hearted.

From Washington Times

Related Words

• afraid
• anxious
• fearful
• panicky
• spooked
• startled
• unnerved