Meaning

noun a person who shows fear or timidity

noun English dramatist and actor and composer noted for his witty and sophisticated comedies (1899-1973)

originFrom Middle English coward, from Old French coart, cuard ( > French couard), from coue (“tail”), coe + -ard (pejorative agent noun suffix); coue, coe is in turn from Latin cauda. The reference seems to be to an animal "turning tail", or having its tail between its legs, especially a dog. Compare the expression tail between one's legs. Displaced native Old English earg (surviving in northern…

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0