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What is "fraidy-cat"

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
fraidy-cat

"coward," by 1871, American English slang, from 'fraid (by 1816), childish or dialectal (African, West Indies) pronunciation of afraid, + cat (n.), perhaps in reference to the animals' instinct to scatter when startled.

Wiktionary
fraidy-cat

n. A coward; a person who is easily frightened.

Usage examples of "fraidy-cat".

First-time gondola riders and fraidy-cats tittered and screamed as our gondola swooned downward.