recreant

¹rec·re·ant

adj \ˈre-krē-ənt\

Definition of RECREANT

1

: crying for mercy : cowardly

2

: unfaithful to duty or allegiance

Examples of RECREANT

1. <the victors had only contempt for the recreant enemy soldiers who surrendered without firing a shot>
2. <recreant campaign workers who walked out as soon as their candidate began dropping in the polls>

Origin of RECREANT

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from present participle of (se) recreire to give up, yield, from Medieval Latin (se) recredere to resign oneself (to a judgment), from Latin re- + credere to believe — more at creed

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to RECREANT

Synonyms: chicken, chickenhearted, chicken-livered, craven, dastardly, gutless, lily-livered, milk-livered [archaic], poltroon, pusillanimous, cowardly, spineless, unheroic, yellow

Antonyms: brave, courageous, daring, dauntless, doughty, fearless, gallant, greathearted, gutsy, hardy, heroic (also heroical), intrepid, lionhearted, stalwart, stout, stouthearted, valiant, valorous

Related Words: diffident, fainthearted, fearful, timid, timorous; afraid, frightened, scared; careful, cautious, wary; bashful, coy, shy; feeble, soft, unmanly, weak

Near Antonyms: audacious, bold, brazen, cheeky, nervy; plucky, spirited, spunky; determined, resolute

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