coy

adj., coy·er, coy·est.

1. Tending to avoid people and social situations; reserved.
2. Affectedly and usually flirtatiously shy or modest. See synonyms at shy¹.
3. Annoyingly unwilling to make a commitment.

[Middle English, from Old French quei, coi, quiet, still, from Vulgar Latin *quētus, from Latin quiētus, past participle of quiēscere, to rest.]

coyly coy'ly adv.
coyness coy'ness n.

adjective

1. Not forward but reticent or reserved in manner: backward, bashful, demure, diffident, modest, retiring, self-effacing, shy, timid. See restraint/unrestraint.
2. Given to flirting: coquettish, flirtatious, flirty. See sex/asexual.

adj

Definition: very modest
Antonyms: aggressive, forward, immodest, impudent, unshy

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IN BRIEF: Shy. Also: pretending to be shy.

The child appeared coy but was really planning her next adventure.

Tutor's tip: Don't be "coy" (hesitant to reveal one's ideas or plans) about your new "koi" (carp) pond.

Common misspelling(s) of coy

• cpoy

Dansk (Danish)
adj. - koket, knibsk, bly

abbr. - kompagni

Nederlands (Dutch)
koket, bedeesd, bescheiden/verlegen op seksueel gebied

Français (French)
adj. - timide, qui fait la sainte-nitouche (péj)

abbr. - (abrév = Company) (Mil) compagnie

Deutsch (German)
adj. - schüchtern, affektiert

abbr. - Kompanie

Ελληνική (Greek)
adj. - ναζιάρικος, σεμνότυφος

Italiano (Italian)
timido

Português (Portuguese)
adj. - tímido

Русский (Russian)
застенчивый, жеманный

Español (Spanish)
adj. - tímido, reservado

abbr. - Compañía militar

Svenska (Swedish)
adj. - blyg, chosig, skälmsk, förtegen, förbehållsam, avskild (åld. om plats)

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
公司

腼腆的, 羞怯的, 怕羞的

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
abbr. - 公司

adj. - 靦腆的, 羞怯的, 怕羞的

한국어 (Korean)
adj. - 수줍어하는, 순진한, 후미진

abbr. - Company (보병이나 중대)

日本語 (Japanese)
adj. - はにかんで見せる, 内気な

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(صفه) تزعم الخجل, خجوله, خفرة‏

עברית (Hebrew)
adj. - ‮ביישנית (אך מפתה), מצטנעת (אך מפתה)‬
abbr. - ‮(קיצור) חברה (מסחרית)‬

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