Poltroon Pol Troon Noun Utter Coward French Poltron Italian

[From French poltron (coward), from Italian poltrone (lazy person), from Latin pullus (young animal). Ultimately from the Indo-European root pau- (few, little), which is also the source of few, foal, filly, pony, poor, pauper, poco, and catchpole. Earliest documented use: 1529.]

“Against this backdrop, Bertuccelli offers a derisive portrait of officialdom. Administrators and doctors come across as poltroons.” - Richard Duckett; ‘Since Otar Left’ is Slow But Intriguing; Telegram & Gazette (Worcester, Massachusetts); Dec 9, 2004.