poltron

See also: poltrón

English

Noun

poltron (plural poltrons)

1. (obsolete) Alternative form of poltroon
   • 1716, Thomas Browne, edited by Samuel Johnson, Christian Morals‎^[1], 2nd edition, London: J. Payne, published 1756, Part I, p. 35:

     Be not a Hercules furens abroad, and a poltron within thyself.

   • 1792, Thomas Holcroft, Anna St. Ives‎^[2], London: Shepperson & Reynolds, Volume 4, Letter 71, p. 127:

     She shall find I am not the clay, but the potter. I will mould, not be moulded. Poltron as I was, to think of sinking into the docile, domesticated, timid animal called husband!

   • 1823, Edward Dillingham Bangs, An oration pronounced at Springfield, Mass., on the Fourth of July, 1823‎^[3]:

     We were regarded as a nation of poltrons, without the spirit to resent insult, or the power to resist aggression.

French

Etymology

Inherited from Middle French poltron, ultimately borrowed from Italian poltrone.

Attested since 1509.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pɔl.tʁɔ̃/

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

poltron m or f by sense (plural poltrons)

1. (derogatory) coward

Adjective

poltron (feminine poltronne, masculine plural poltrons, feminine plural poltronnes)

1. (derogatory) cowardly

Further reading

• “poltron”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Middle French

Noun

poltron m (plural poltrons)

1. coward

Descendants

• English: poltroon
• French: poltron

Norman

Etymology

Borrowed from French poltron (“coward”), from Italian poltrone (“sluggard”).

Noun

poltron m (plural poltrons)

1. (Jersey) thug

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French poltron.

Noun

poltron m (plural poltroni)

1. coward

Declension

Declension of poltron

	singular		plural
	indefinite articulation	definite articulation	indefinite articulation	definite articulation
nominative/accusative	(un) poltron	poltronul	(niște) poltroni	poltronii
genitive/dative	(unui) poltron	poltronului	(unor) poltroni	poltronilor
vocative	poltronule		poltronilor