Where does “coy” come from?
Coy comes from Old French coi, derived from Old French compaignie, which combines Latin com- with Latin quietus, meaning quiet or still, ultimately producing the English sense of shy or modest.
coy (English): Bashful, shy, retiring; Quiet, reserved, modest;...
Definitions
- Bashful, shy, retiring; Quiet, reserved, modest;...
Ancestry of “coy”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | coy | — |
| 2 | Old French | coi | — |
| 3 | Old French | quei | quiet, still |
| 4 | Latin | quiētus | at rest/nap, quiet, keeping quiet, quietude, quietness |
| 5 | Latin | quiēscō | to rest, sleep, repose |
| 6 | Latin | quiēs | the rest of sleep, repose |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | kʷiētis | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷyéh₁tis | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷyeh₁- | to rest; rest, peace |