Main Entry:

¹coy

Pronunciation:

\ˈkȯi\

Function:

adjective

Etymology:

Middle English, quiet, shy, from Anglo-French quoi, quei, koi quiet, from Latin quietus

Date:

14th century

1 a: shrinking from contact or familiarity <'tis but a kiss I beg, Why art thou coy? — Shakespeare> b: marked by cute, coquettish, or artful playfulness 2: showing reluctance to make a definite commitment <a coy response>

synonyms see shy

— coy·ly adverb

— coy·ness noun