Scaredy

Scaredy is an informal noun and, less commonly, an adjective in English. It is most often encountered in the phrase scaredy-cat, a jocular label for someone who is easily frightened or cautious. In isolation, scaredy is typically used as a light-hearted insult or nickname, as in "Don't be a scaredy." The term communicates timidity rather than formal cowardice.

The word originated as a shortened form of the compound scaredy-cat and has been attested in American English since the early 20th century. It appears in children's books, comics, cartoons, and everyday speech, often in casual or playful contexts. The supporting "cat" element emphasizes a humorous, non-hostile tone.

Variants and related terms include fraidy-cat, a parallel construction with "fraidy" derived from "afraid." Scaredy is most common in informal speech; it is rarely used in formal writing. In modern usage, the term can describe a trait (scaredy behavior) or function as a compound adjective in phrases like scaredy-cat behavior, though the standalone form is less typical in formal contexts.