Inflected forms: 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.
ETYMOLOGY:
Middle English, from Old French quei, coi, quiet, still, from Vulgar Latin *qutus, from Latin quitus, past participle of quiscere, to rest. See kwei- in Appendix I.
koi
tus, from Latin qui
- in Appendix I.
ly —ADVERB
