cavalier
1cav·a·lier
noun \ˌka-və-ˈlir\Definition of CAVALIER
1
: a gentleman trained in arms and horsemanship
2
: a mounted soldier : knight
3
capitalized : an adherent of Charles I of England
4
: gallant
Examples of CAVALIER
- <a novel about the dashing cavaliers and gracious ladies of the South before the Civil War>
Origin of CAVALIER
Middle French, from Old Italian cavaliere, from Old Occitan cavalier, from Late Latin caballarius horseman, from Latin caballus
First Known Use: 1589
Related to CAVALIER
- Synonyms
- gentleman
Rhymes with CAVALIER
Agadir, atmosphere, auctioneer, balladeer, bandolier, bathysphere, bayadere, Bedfordshire, Bedivere, belvedere, bend one's ear, biosphere, bombardier, boutonniere, brigadier, buccaneer, budgeteer, Cambridgeshire, cameleer, cannoneer, canyoneer, cassimere, chandelier, chanticleer, chevalier, chiffonier, chocolatier, chromosphere, commandeer, corsetiere, crystal clear, cuirassier, Derbyshire, diapir, disappear, domineer, ecosphere, Elzevir, engineer, exosphere, fallow deer, fictioneer, financier, fiscal year, fourdrinier, fusilier, gadgeteer, gasolier, gazetteer, ginger beer, Gloucestershire, gondolier, grenadier, Guinevere, hemisphere, Hertfordshire, Holy Year, inner ear, insincere, interfere, in the clear, jardiniere, junketeer, kerseymere, landing gear, lavaliere, marketeer, Meyerbeer, middle ear, missileer, mountaineer, muleteer, musketeer, mutineer, on one's ear, outer ear, overhear, overseer, oversteer, Oxfordshire, pamphleteer, persevere, photosphere, pioneer, pistoleer, privateer, profiteer, puppeteer, racketeer, rocketeer, running gear, scrutineer, sloganeer, sonneteer, souvenir, Staffordshire, steering gear, stratosphere, summiteer, swimmer's ear, thermosphere, troposphere, Tyne and Wear, understeer, vintage year, Vladimir, volunteer, Warwickshire, Windermere, yesteryear
2cavalier
adjectiveDefinition of CAVALIER
1
: debonair
2
: marked by or given to offhand and often disdainful dismissal of important matters <a cavalier attitude toward money>
3
a capitalized : of or relating to the party of Charles I of England in his struggles with the Puritans and Parliament b : aristocratic c capitalized : of or relating to the English Cavalier poets of the mid-17th century
— ca·va·lier·ism \-ˌi-zəm\ noun
— cav·a·lier·ly adverb
Examples of CAVALIER
- They are too cavalier in their treatment of others.
- She has a cavalier attitude about spending money.
- He has a cavalier disregard for the rights of others.
First Known Use of CAVALIER
circa 1641
Related to CAVALIER
- Synonyms
- assumptive, bumptious, arrogant, chesty, haughty, highfalutin (also hifalutin), high-and-mighty, high-handed, high-hat, huffish, huffy, imperious, important, lofty, lordly, masterful, overweening, peremptory, pompous, presuming, presumptuous, pretentious, self-asserting, self-assertive, sniffy, stiff-necked, supercilious, superior, toplofty (also toploftical), uppish, uppity
- Antonyms
- humble, lowly, modest, unarrogant, unpretentious
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