Word of the Day - 03/25/26
timorous
/'tɪmərəs/(adj.): timid by nature or revealing timidity
The timorous kitten cowered under the chair whenever someone entered the room.
Word Origin
The word 'timorous' originates from Late Latin 'timorosus', meaning 'fearful'. This in turn comes from the Latin word 'timor', meaning 'fear', which is derived from the verb 'timere', meaning 'to fear'. The word can be broken down into 'timor' (fear) and the suffix '-ous' (from Latin '-osus'), meaning 'full of' or 'abounding in'.
Words with similar origins include 'timid', which comes from Latin 'timidus' (fearful), also derived from 'timere'. 'Timidity' also shares this root. Another related word is 'intimidate', from Late Latin 'intimidare' (to make fearful), formed from 'in-' (causative prefix) and 'timidus' (fearful).