Gallant Meaning

/ˈɡælənt/
C1

Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.

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adjBrave, valiant, courteous, especially with regard to male attitudes towards women.

adjHonorable.

All the soldiers were gallant.
He is a very gallant gentleman.
The bridal guests assembled in gallant troops from distant quarters.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ knight rescued the princess from the dragon without any fear.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The ____ knight rode his horse into battle to protect the kingdom from the invading army.

From Middle English galant, galaunt, from Old French galant (“courteous; dashing; brave”), present participle of galer (“to rejoice; make merry”), from gale (“pomp; show; festivity; mirth”); either from Frankish *wala (“good, well”), a variant form of *wela, from Proto-Germanic *wela (whence well), from Proto-Indo-European *welh₁- (“to choose, wish”); or alternatively from Frankish *gail (“merry; mirthful; proud; luxuriant”), from Proto-Germanic *gailaz (“merry; excited; luxurious”), related to Dutch geil (“horny; lascivious; salacious; lecherous”), German geil (“randy; horny; lecherous; wicked”), Old English gāl (“wanton; wicked; bad”).

"That gallant spirit hath aspired the clouds." — c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:
"It is plain that the great majority of school children must be regarded, from the physical standpoint, as decidedly gallant little persons, who have wrestled through their infancy and have managed to come out of tribulations that have killed a large proportion of all the children of their birth-years." — 1907, Margaret McMillan, Labour and Childhood, page 7:
"Captain Edward Carlisle[…]felt a curious sensation of helplessness seize upon him as he met her steady gaze,[…]; he could not tell what this prisoner might do. He cursed the fate which had assigned such a duty, cursed especially that fate which forced a gallant soldier to meet so superb a woman as this under handicap so hard." — 1910, Emerson Hough, chapter I, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
"This town is built in a very gallant place." — 1644 March 27 (Gregorian calendar), John Evelyn, “[Diary entry for 18 March 1644]”, in William Bray, editor, Memoirs, Illustrative of the Life and Writings of John Evelyn, […], 2nd edition, volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […]; and sold by John and Arthur Arch, […], published 1819, →OCLC:
"our royal, good and gallant ship" — 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]:

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CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ knight rescued the princess from the dragon without any fear.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The ____ knight rode his horse into battle to protect the kingdom from the invading army.

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