🇬🇧 Timorous meaning: English Vocabulary Flash Card

Timorous means feeling very shy, scared, or unsure of yourself. A timorous person might hide behind someone else, speak in a tiny voice, or be afraid to try new things because they think they’ll mess up. They aren’t bold or brave in that moment, and they may need extra kindness and encouragement to feel safer and more confident.

A timorous superhero flew to the rescue, then quietly asked the villain, "Um, could you maybe stop, if that’s okay?"

During the school play, the timorous dragon hid behind a cardboard tree and apologized for existing.

Our timorous dog barks bravely at the doorbell but runs away from his own reflection in the window.

The timorous ghost peeked out from behind the curtain and whispered, "Boo?" like it was asking for permission.

"Timorous" comes from the Latin word for fear, so if you feel timorous before a big show, even ancient Romans would totally understand your stage fright.

A timorous sparrow crouched under the cafe table. A timorous child peered, hand out, voice small. The timorous bird flinched at each step and hid its head. The timorous child stayed, offering crumbs and a soft breath. At last the sparrow took one crumb, then a tiny brave hop—both smiled, timorous no more.

This word is at the C2 level, which means it represents the highest mastery of English. It’s often used in specialized or highly formal contexts and helps you communicate with precision and subtlety, much like a native speaker.

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