coyness

coy  (koi)

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.

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[Middle English, from Old French quei, coi, quiet, still, from Vulgar Latin *qutus, from Latin quitus, past participle of quiscere, to rest; see k^wei- in Indo-European roots.]

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coyly adv.

coyness n.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

coyness - the affectation of being demure in a provocative way demureness affectedness - the quality of being false or artificial (as to impress others)

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coyness

noun shyness, reserve, modesty, timidity, affectation, diffidence, prudery, evasiveness, prudishness, bashfulness, skittishness, primness, archness, prissiness (informal), coquettishness, demureness She discusses sexual matters without a trace of coyness.

Quotations
"Had we but world enough, and time"
"This coyness, lady, were no crime" [Andrew Marvell To his Coy Mistress]

Translations

coyness [ˈkɔɪnɪs] N

1. (= demureness) → timidez f (pej) (= coquettishness) → coquetería f

2. (= evasiveness) → evasivas fpl, reticencias fpl

coyness [ˈkɔɪnɪs] n

(= coquettishness) → coquetterie f

(= reticence) → réserve f

coyness

n (= shyness) → Verschämtheit f; (= coquettishness) → neckisches or kokettes Benehmen; (= evasiveness) → ausweichende Haltung

coyness [ˈkɔɪnɪs] n (affected shyness) → falsa timidezza; (evasiveness) → evasività; (coquetry) → civetteria