galliard

1 of 2

adjective

gal·​liard ˈgal-yərd 

archaic

: gay, lively

galliard

2 of 2

noun

: a sprightly dance with five steps to a phrase popular in the 16th and 17th centuries

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English gaylard, galyarde, gaillard "brave, strong, lively, gay," borrowed from Anglo-French gaillard "vigorous, lively" (continental Old French also, "courageous"), probably from a Gallo-Romance base *galy- (going back to Celtic *gal-, in Old Irish gal "ardor in battle, valor," Welsh gallu "to be able to, can" Breton gallout, going back to Indo-European *gelH- "gain power (over)," also in Lithuanian galė́ti "to be able to") + Old French -ard -ard

Noun

noun derivative of galliard entry 1 (probably after Italian gagliarda or Middle French gaillarde)

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1533, in the meaning defined above