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Flippant vs Coy - What's the difference?

flippant | coy |

In archaic|lang=en terms the difference between flippant and coy

is that flippant is (archaic) glib; speaking with ease and rapidity while coy is (archaic) quiet, reserved, modest.

As adjectives the difference between flippant and coy

is that flippant is (archaic) glib; speaking with ease and rapidity while coy is (dated) bashful, shy, retiring.

As a verb coy is

(obsolete) to caress, pet; to coax, entice.

As a noun coy is

a trap from which waterfowl may be hunted.

flippant

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • (archaic) glib; speaking with ease and rapidity
  • * Barrow
    • It becometh good men, in such cases, to be flippant and free in their speech.
  • nimble; limber.
  • Showing disrespect through a casual attitude, levity, and a lack of due seriousness; pert.
  • * Burke
    • a sort of flippant , vain discourse
  • * 1998 , , The Metaphysical Touch
    • The conversations had grown more adult over the years—she was less flippant , at least.
  • * 2000 , Anthony Howard and Jason Cowley, Decline and Fall, New Statesman, March 13, 2000
    • In the mid-1950s we both wrote for the same weekly, where her contributions were a good deal more serious and less flippant than mine.
  • * 2004 , , The Easy Way to Stop Smoking , page 147
    • Our society treats smoking flippantly as a slightly distasteful habit that can injure your health. It is not. It is drug addiction.

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Antonyms

    * serious

    Derived terms

    * flippancy

    See also

    * irreverent * pert * facetious * frivolous

    External links

    * * English words suffixed with -ant ----

    coy

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) coi, earlier .

    Adjective

    (er)
  • (dated) Bashful, shy, retiring.
  • (archaic) Quiet, reserved, modest.
  • Reluctant to give details about something sensitive; notably prudish.
  • Pretending shyness or modesty, especially in an insincere or flirtatious way.
  • Soft, gentle, hesitating.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Enforced hate, / Instead of love's coy touch, shall rudely tear thee.
    Derived terms
    * coyly * coyness

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (obsolete) To caress, pet; to coax, entice.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Come sit thee down upon this flowery bed, / While I thy amiable cheeks do coy .
  • (obsolete) To calm or soothe.
  • To allure; to decoy.
  • * Bishop Rainbow
    • A wiser generation, who have the art to coy the fonder sort into their nets.

    Etymology 2

    Compare decoy.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A trap from which waterfowl may be hunted.

    • References

    * [http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=coy&searchmode=none]