Etymograph

English

coy

Coy comes from Old French coi, from Latin quies ‘resting, at rest’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kʷyeh₁-.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*kʷyeh₁-‘to rest’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*kʷyéh₁tisreconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*kʷjētisreconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEquiesas qu(i)ētus‘resting, at rest’
  5. Old Frenchc. 842–1400coi
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500coy
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1594same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*kʷyeh₁-‘to rest’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*kʷyéh₁tisreconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*kʷjētisreconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEquiesas qu(i)ētus‘resting, at rest’
  5. Old Frenchc. 842–1400coi
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500coy
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1594same form

Earliest quotation: 1594, William Shakespeare, Lucrece (First Quarto): “Enforced hate, / Instead of love's coy touch, shall…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *kʷyeh₁- ‘to rest’

while, quiet, quit, whilst, 18 more

through Latin quies ‘resting, at rest’

quite, tranquil, requiem, quiescent, 14 more

Today it means

adj Bashful, shy, retiring.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *kʷyeh₁- / coy

Shirt and support for this word