Timerous
/ˈtaɪmərəs/noun
An archaic or dialectal variant of “timorous,” meaning fearful or easily frightened.
Did you know?“Timerous” is a historical spelling variant of “timorous,” which ultimately descends from Latin timor, meaning fear or dread—not from the modern word “timer.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*temh₂-
“A reconstructed root associated with fearing or being afraid.”
Classical Latin
Latin
timēre
“To fear, be afraid, or feel dread.”
Classical Latin
Latin
timor
“Fear, dread, or apprehension.”
Medieval Latin
Latin
timōrōsus
“Fearful, full of fear, or timid.”
14th Century
Old French
temoreus
“Fearful or timid; the source of English “timorous.””
Middle English
English
timerous
“An archaic or dialectal spelling meaning timorous or fearful.”
Modern English
English
timerous
“A rare historical or dialectal variant of “timorous.””
Explore more surprising origins