gallant

¹gal·lant

noun \gə-ˈlant, gə-ˈlänt, ˈga-lənt\

Definition of GALLANT

1

: a young man of fashion

2

a : ladies' man

b : suitor

c : paramour

Examples of GALLANT

1. <he was quite a gallant, primping more than either of his sisters>
2. <she had a whole host of gallants vying for her hand in marriage>

First Known Use of GALLANT

14th century

Related to GALLANT

Synonyms

beau, Beau Brummell, buck, dude, fop, dandy, jay, lounge lizard, macaroni, pretty boy, toff [chiefly British]

Related Words

coxcomb, fancy Dan, popinjay; blade, cavalier, dasher; clotheshorse, exquisite, swell

Near Antonyms

slob, sloven

Rhymes with GALLANT

callant, talent

²gal·lant

adjective \ˈga-lənt (usually in sense 2); gə-ˈlant, gə-ˈlänt (usually in sense 3)\

Definition of GALLANT

1

: showy in dress or bearing : smart

2

a : splendid, stately <a gallant ship>

b : spirited, brave <gallant efforts against the enemy>

c : nobly chivalrous and often self-sacrificing

3

: courteously and elaborately attentive especially to ladies

— gal·lant·ly adverb

Examples of GALLANT

1. The defenders of the fort made a gallant stand.
2. They failed to reach the summit, but they made a gallant attempt.
3. He greeted her with a gallant bow.
4. He offered her his seat in a gallant gesture.

Origin of GALLANT

Middle English galaunt, from Middle French galant, from present participle of galer to have a good time, from Old French, from gale pleasure, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English wela weal — more at weal

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to GALLANT

Synonyms

bold, courageous, dauntless, doughty, fearless, brave, greathearted, gutsy, gutty, heroic (also heroical), intrepid, lionhearted, manful, stalwart, stout, stouthearted, undauntable, undaunted, valiant, valorous

Antonyms

chicken, chickenhearted, chicken-livered, coward, cowardly, craven, dastardly, fainthearted, fearful, gutless, lily-livered, milk-livered [archaic], nerveless, poltroon, poor-spirited, pusillanimous, spineless, spiritless, timorous, uncourageous, ungallant, unheroic, weakhearted, yellow

Related Words

determined, firm, game, gamy (or gamey), gritty, plucky, resolute, Spartan, undeterred, undismayed, unflinching, unswerving; mettlesome, spirited, spunky; adventuresome, adventurous, audacious, daring, dashing, hardy, venturesome, venturous; crazy, foolish, half-witted, insane, lunatic, mad, nutty; brash, brazen, daredevil, foolhardy, heedless, hotheaded, impetuous, imprudent, impulsive, incautious, madcap, overbold, overconfident, rash, reckless, thoughtless, wild; hasty, headlong, precipitate; comforted, emboldened, encouraged, heartened, reassured, unafraid

Near Antonyms

diffident, mousy (or mousey), scary, shy, skittish, timid; anxious, apprehensive, nervous; careful, cautious, heedful, prudent, unadventurous; afraid, agitated, disconcerted, disquieted, disturbed, frightened, horrified, panicked, panic-stricken, perturbed, scared, shocked, spooked, startled, terrified, terrorized, unnerved, upset; appalled, concerned, dismayed, worried; unmanly, weak, wimpy

See Synonym Discussion at civil

³gal·lant

verb \gə-ˈlant, -ˈlänt\

Definition of GALLANT

transitive verb

1

: to pay court to (a lady) : attend <used to gallant her in his youth — Washington Irving>

2

obsolete : to manipulate (a fan) in a modish manner

intransitive verb

: to pay court to ladies

First Known Use of GALLANT

1672

Gal·lant

biographical name \ga-ˈlant\

Definition of GALLANT

Mavis 1922–     originally Mavis de Trafford Young Canad.-Fr. writer

Rhymes with GALLANT

aslant, bacchant, bacchante, bezant, courante, decant, descant, displant, eggplant, enceinte, enchant, explant, extant, face-plant, fire ant, formant, gallant, gas plant, grandaunt, houseplant, ice plant, implant, incant, jade plant, land grant, leadplant, levant, Levant, musk plant, pieplant, pissant, plainchant, pourpoint, preplant, recant, red ant, replant, savant, seed plant, snow plant, supplant, transplant, white ant