timid
adj. B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈtɪmɪd// UK //tˈɪmɪd// timid
adj. shy and nervous. You use this to describe someone who lacks confidence and is easily frightened.
adj. showing a lack of courage or confidence; easily frightened. Often used to describe personality traits or hesitant actions.
The timid child hid behind her mother's legs.
He gave a timid knock on the door, unsure if he was actually welcome at the party.
Investors remained timid despite the positive economic reports, fearing that the market's recent stability was merely a temporary pause before another significant downturn.
From Middle French timide, from Latin timidus (“full of fear, fearful, timid”), from timeō (“to fear”).
Usage
Typically used attributively before a noun or predicatively after linking verbs like 'be', 'seem', or 'appear'.