[coy] adj [ME, quiet, shy, fr. MF coi calm, fr. L quietus quiet] (14c) 1 a: shrinking from contact or familiarity b: marked by cute, coquettish, or artful playfulness
2: showing reluctance to make a definite commitment syn see shy -- coy.ly adv -- coy.ness n
[2]coy vt (1583) obs: caress ~ vi, archaic: to act coyly