Etymology 1
From Middle English coy, from Old French coi, earlier quei (“quiet, still”), from Latin qu(i)ētus (“resting, at rest”). Doublet of quiet.
Adjective
coy (comparative coyer, superlative coyest)
- (dated) Bashful, shy, retiring.
- (archaic) Quiet, reserved, modest.
- Reluctant to give details about something sensitive; notably prudish.
- Pretending shyness or modesty, especially in an insincere or flirtatious way.
1981, A. D. Hope, “His Coy Mistress to Mr. Marvell”, in A Book of Answers:The ill-bred miss, the bird-brained Jill, / May simper and be coy at will; / A lady, sir, as you will find, / Keeps counsel, or she speaks her mind, / Means what she says and scorns to fence / And palter with feigned innocence.
- Soft, gentle, hesitating.
Translations
bashful, shy
- Bulgarian: свенлив (bg) (svenliv), срамежлив (bg) (sramežliv)
- Czech: ostýchavý, nesmělý, plachý (cs), stydlivý
- Dutch: bedeesd (nl), timide (nl), verlegen (nl)
- Finnish: ujo (fi)
- French: timide (fr)
- Galician: tímido, túzaro (gl)
- Georgian: მორცხვი (morcxvi)
- German: keusch (de), verlegen (de)
- Hungarian: szégyenlős (hu), félénk (hu), szemérmes (hu)
- Italian: timido (it) m
- Russian: засте́нчивый (ru) (zasténčivyj), ро́бкий (ru) (róbkij)
- Spanish: tímido (es)
- Turkish: mahcup (tr) (dated), utangaç (tr), çekingen (tr), muhteriz (tr) (archaic)
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archaic: quiet, reserved, modest
- Bulgarian: тих (bg) (tih), мълчалив (bg) (mǎlčaliv)
- Czech: zdrženlivý
- Dutch: bedeesd (nl), bescheiden (nl), timide (nl), schuchter (nl), verlegen (nl)
- Finnish: hiljainen (fi), vaitonainen (fi), ujo (fi)
- French: coi (fr) (archaic)
- Georgian: მორიდებული (moridebuli)
- German: verschämt (de), schüchtern (de), zurückhaltend (de)
- Hungarian: tartózkodó (hu)
- Italian: schivo (it)
- Russian: скро́мный (ru) (skrómnyj)
- Spanish: recatado (es)
- Turkish: muhteriz (tr) (archaic), mahcup (tr) (dated)
- Walloon: coe (wa) m
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reluctant to give details about something sensitive
pretending shyness or modesty
Translations to be checked
Verb
coy (third-person singular simple present coys, present participle coying, simple past and past participle coyed)
- (transitive, obsolete) To caress, pet; to coax, entice.
c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “A Midsommer Nights Dreame”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:Come sit thee down upon this flowery bed, / While I thy amiable cheeks do coy.
- (transitive, obsolete) To calm or soothe.
- (transitive, obsolete) To allure; to decoy.
1635, Edward Rainbowe, Labour Forbidden, and Commanded. A Sermon Preached at St. Pauls[sic] Church, September 28. 1634., London: Nicholas Vavasour, page 29:For now there are ſprung up a wiſer generation in this kind, who have the Art to coy the fonder ſort into their nets
Etymology 2
Compare decoy.
Etymology 3
Abbreviation of company.
Noun
coy (first-person possessive coyku, second-person possessive coymu, third-person possessive coynya)
- (slang) bro, guy
Adjective
coy m (feminine singular coye, masculine plural coys, feminine plural coyes)
- (of a person) calm; composed
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈkoi/ [ˈkoi̯]
- Rhymes: -oi
- Syllabification: coy