"cowardly," 1900, from gut (n.) in the figurative "spirit" sense (see guts) + -less. Literal sense "disemboweled" is from c. 1600. Related: Gutlessly; gutlessness.
he was a yellow gutless worm
Gustavus
gusto
gusty
gut
gut-bucket
gutless
guts
gutsy
gutta-percha
gutter
guttersnipe