άτολμος
Lemma: άτολμος
Translation: cowardly; timid; fearful; lacking courage; pusillanimous (adjective)
Etymology: From Ancient Greek ἄτολμος (atolmos), composed of the privative prefix ἀ- (a-) meaning 'without' and τόλμα (tolma) meaning 'courage, boldness, daring'. The root τόλμα is related to the verb τολμάω (tolmao) 'to dare, to have courage'. This connects to English words like 'tolerate' through the shared Indo-European root meaning 'to bear, endure'. The privative alpha construction is common in Greek for creating negative adjectives, similar to English 'a-' in 'amoral' or 'atypical'.
Mnemonics
- Think 'a-' (without) + 'tolerate' (endure/bear) = without the ability to bear challenges
- Remember 'atom' + 'loss' = losing atomic courage
Synonyms
Example Wordforms
Cultural Context
Used in formal or literary contexts to describe someone who lacks courage or initiative. Less common in everyday speech than δειλός. Often appears in character descriptions in literature or formal assessments of behavior.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: άτολμος means 'cowardly' while άτομο means 'person/individual' - they share the prefix ά- but have completely different meanings
Confused word:
Αυτό το άτομο είναι γενναίο.
This person is brave.
Notes: The visual similarity can be confusing for beginners, but the meanings are completely unrelated
Mnemonic: άτολμος has 'tolm' (courage) while άτομο has 'tom' (cut/individual)