Tudor & Stuart · insult · noun
Poltroon
pol-TROON /pɒlˈtɹuːn/pronunciation given by a dictionary
First recordedc. 1529
An utter coward; a mean-spirited, spineless wretch. Borrowed from French, from Italian poltrone, 'idler, coward'.
Where it was first recorded
Dated by Merriam-Webster (c. 1529) and Etymonline (1520s), which do not name the work.
Also spelled: poltron, pultrowne, poultroone
In its own time
Patience is for poltroons, such as he:
Today
Modern exampleThe poltroon who ran the committee vanished the moment the budget was questioned.
Fine to use; a theatrical, old-fashioned way to call someone a coward.
Questions
What does poltroon mean?
An utter coward; a mean-spirited, spineless wretch. Borrowed from French, from Italian poltrone, 'idler, coward'.
When was poltroon first used?
It is first recorded c. 1529.
Can you still use poltroon today?
Fine to use; a theatrical, old-fashioned way to call someone a coward.
Sources
- poltroon — Online Etymology Dictionary
- poltroon — Merriam-Webster
- poltroon — Wiktionary
- Poltroon — Farmer & Henley, Slang and Its Analogues, via WEHD
- Henry VI Part 3 — The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (MIT)
Checked 2026-09-30 · verdict: attested — found in the dictionaries and texts listed above