Craintive (en. Fearful)

/kʁɛ̃.tiv/

Meaning & Definition

EnglishFrench
adjective
Who shows fear, anxiety.
She exhibits fearful behavior when there is a lot of noise.
Elle a un comportement craintif lorsqu'il y a beaucoup de bruit.
Who is shy or easily frightened.
He is so fearful that he avoids speaking in public.
Il est si craintif qu'il évite de parler en public.
Of an anxious nature.
The fearful cat hides under the couch.
Le chat craintif se cache sous le canapé.

Etymology

Derived from the verb 'craindre', from Latin 'timentem', from the verb 'timere'.

Common Phrases and Expressions

to be afraid of
To experience fear towards something.
avoir peur de
to have fears
To feel worries or doubts.
avoir des craintes
to fear the worst
To be afraid that something bad will happen.
craindre le pire

Related Words

fear
Feeling of worry or fear.
crainte
fearful
Who experiences fear.
craint
to fear
To feel fear or apprehension.
craindre

Slang Meanings

Refers to a very shy person in an informal context.
She is so fearful that she never says a word during parties.
Elle est tellement craintive qu'elle ne dit jamais un mot pendant les soirées.
Used to describe an exaggerated reaction to a situation.
Stop being so fearful, it's just a spider!
Arrête d'être si craintive, ce n'est qu'une araignée!