timorous

/ˈtɪməɹəs/

meaning in plain English

Feeling nervous or easily scared, like someone who jumps at every little thing.

Timorous Tom tiptoes past a cat, shaking like a leaf, because he’s scared of every tiny sound.

for example

The timorous kitten hid under the bed whenever a loud noise startled it.

Have you ever seen a timorous squirrel dart away at the slightest rustle of leaves, its tiny heart pounding like a drum? That’s timorous in action—so jumpy it flinches before the danger even arrives.