• Today's Word

Craven

🔊 Listen to the word Craven

KRAY-vin

Definition

(adjective) Contemptibly lacking in courage; cowardly.

Example

His craven refusal to stand up for his beliefs disappointed his supporters.

Word Origin

Middle English: from Old French “cravant” meaning “defeated or overcome,” past participle of “cravanter” meaning “to crush or overwhelm.”

Fun Fact

Craven goes beyond simple cowardice into contemptible territory—it’s cowardice that deserves scorn. Medieval knights accused of craven behavior faced public humiliation and loss of honor. The word originally described someone completely defeated or crushed in battle, and that sense of total collapse remains. In Shakespeare’s hands, craven became the ultimate insult for warriors who fled rather than fought. Modern usage preserves that moral judgment: calling someone craven suggests not just fear but shameful abdication of duty or principle when courage was required.