scaredy-cat
Low-medium (common in informal/childish contexts, rare in formal usage)Informal, colloquial, often childish or playful. Can be derogatory or affectionate depending on context and tone.
Definition
Meaning
A person (typically a child or used in a childish way) who is easily frightened or excessively timid; a coward.
Used to mock someone's lack of courage, often in a playful or teasing manner. Can imply an irrational or exaggerated fear of something minor.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Compound noun from 'scared' + 'cat'. The 'cat' element likely draws on the stereotype of cats being easily startled. It's a classic example of a playful, rhyming/reduplicative compound used in children's language (like 'fraidy-cat').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Slightly more common in American English, but well-understood in both. The alternative 'fraidy-cat' is also primarily American.
Connotations
Universally carries a childish tone. Using it among adults is either deliberately playful or intentionally infantilizing/insulting.
Frequency
Most frequent in speech directed at or among children. Rare in adult professional contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
(Subject) be a scaredy-cat(Subject) call (Object) a scaredy-catDon't be such a scaredy-cat!Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Scaredy-cats never get the cream. (playful twist on 'Curiosity killed the cat')”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Highly inappropriate. Would undermine professionalism.
Academic
Not used. Considered non-serious vocabulary.
Everyday
Used among friends/family in teasing contexts, or with children.
Technical
Not applicable.
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- He wouldn't go into the haunted house, the poor scaredy-cat.
- Come on, don't be a scaredy-cat! It's just a little spider.
American English
- My brother's a scaredy-cat about riding roller coasters.
- She called me a scaredy-cat for not wanting to watch the horror movie.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Are you a scaredy-cat? The dog is friendly!
- I'm not a scaredy-cat! I will go on the swing.
- The kids teased him for being a scaredy-cat when he refused to climb the tree.
- Don't listen to them. It's okay to be a scaredy-cat about things you don't like.
- His 'scaredy-cat' reputation stemmed from a childhood fear of water he'd never quite shaken.
- The term 'scaredy-cat' is often used pejoratively, but it can mask legitimate anxiety.
- The politician's opponents derisively labelled him a foreign-policy scaredy-cat for his reluctance to intervene.
- The novel's protagonist sheds her 'scaredy-cat' persona through a series of calculated, daring acts.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a cat (CAT) with wide, SCARED eyes, hiding under a bed. The word sounds like a nickname a child would invent.
Conceptual Metaphor
FEAR IS A SMALL, TIMID ANIMAL (The fearful person is metaphorically reduced to a easily-startled pet).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate literally as "напуганный кот". It is not an idiom in Russian. Use "трус" (coward) or the colloquial "тряпка" (doormat) for similar effect, though they lack the childish tone.
Common Mistakes
- Using it in formal writing.
- Spelling as 'scaredy cat' without the hyphen (the hyphenated form is standard for this compound noun).
- Applying it to genuine, rational fears (e.g., of serious danger), which makes the speaker seem insensitive.
Practice
Quiz
In which context would calling someone a 'scaredy-cat' be MOST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be, depending on tone and context. Used among children or friends playfully, it's harmless. Used to belittle someone's genuine fear, especially an adult's, it is derogatory and dismissive.
'Coward' is a strong, formal, and serious accusation of a lack of courage, often in a moral or dangerous context. 'Scaredy-cat' is informal, childish, and usually refers to trivial or irrational fears. Calling a soldier a 'scaredy-cat' would be bizarrely infantilizing; calling them a 'coward' is a grave insult.
Yes, often with a softening tone or smile. A parent might say to a child, "Aw, come here, my little scaredy-cat," in a comforting way. The key is the relationship and vocal tone.
Yes, 'fraidy-cat' is a variant, a contraction of 'afraid-y cat'. It is slightly more common in American English and carries the exact same meaning and register.