cavalier

1 of 2

adjective

cav·​a·​lier ˌka-və-ˈlir 

1

: marked by or given to offhand and often disdainful (see disdain entry 1) dismissal of important matters

a cavalier attitude toward money

has a cavalier disregard for the rights of others

2

: debonair

3

a

capitalized : of or relating to the party of Charles I of England in his struggles with the Puritans and Parliament

b

: aristocratic

portrayed the plantation owner as a cavalier fop

c

capitalized : of or relating to the English Cavalier poets of the mid-17th century

cavalierism

ˌka-və-ˈlir-ˌi-zəm 

noun

cavalierly adverb

cavalier

2 of 2

noun

1

: a gentleman trained in arms and horsemanship

2

: a mounted soldier : knight

3

capitalized : an adherent of Charles I of England

4

: a lady's escort or dancing partner : gallant

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The Evolution of Cavalier

The adjective cavalier comes from a noun referring to a gentleman or knight who is trained in arms and horsemanship. The noun traces back to Latin caballārius, meaning "horseback rider" or "groom." It is also used for "a swaggering fellow," and English Puritans used it disdainfully to their adversaries, the swashbuckling royalist followers of Charles I, who sported longish hair and swords. Their use undoubtedly contributed to the adjective's reference to a rather unbecoming quality.

Synonyms

Adjective

• arrogant
• assumptive
• bumptious
• chesty
• haughty
• high-and-mighty
• high-handed
• high-hat
• highfalutin
• hifalutin
• huffish
• huffy
• imperious
• important
• lofty
• lordly
• masterful
• overweening
• peremptory
• pompous
• presuming
• presumptuous
• pretentious
• self-asserting
• self-assertive
• sniffy
• stiff-necked
• supercilious
• superior
• toplofty
• toploftical
• uppish
• uppity

Noun

• gentleman

Examples of cavalier in a Sentence

Adjective

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.

Noun

a novel about the dashing cavaliers and gracious ladies of the South before the Civil War

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Too high to be cavalier with our words and actions. —Brea Baker, refinery29.com, 17 Sep. 2024

The director’s no-nonsense approach to the action, utilizing impressive stunt work and steering clear of elaborate effects, as well as his fairly cavalier attitude toward the story itself, might have gotten lost amid a mess of studio tentpole behemoths. —Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 18 Jan. 2024

Noun

Opal is described as a 5-pound red/brown cavapoo — a mix of a King Charles cavalier and a poodle. —Mike Stunson, Kansas City Star, 9 July 2024

Next came a waltz between all the debutantes and their fathers, who were passed onto their cavaliers for dancing with a live band. —Kristen Bateman, Vogue, 27 Nov. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

from attributive use of cavalier entry 2

Noun

borrowed from French, "horseback rider, member of the gentry bearing arms, gallant," going back to Middle French, borrowed from later medieval Italian cavallere, cavaleru, cavalliere "horseback rider, mounted soldier, courtly gentleman accompanying a lady," borrowed from Old Occitan cavalier "horseman, mounted soldier, knight," going back to Late Latin caballārius "horseback rider, groom" (early Medieval Latin also "serf performing duties on horseback, mounted soldier"), from Latin caballus "work horse, gelding" + -ārius -ary entry 1 — more at cavalcade

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1641, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

1589, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

cavalier

1 of 2 noun

cav·​a·​lier ˌkav-ə-ˈli(ə)r 

1

: a mounted soldier : knight

2

: a brave and courteous gentleman

cavalier

2 of 2 adjective

1

: lighthearted and charming in manner

2

: having an unconcerned or disdainful attitude about important matters

cavalierly adverb

cavalierness noun

Etymology

Noun

from early French cavalier "cavalier," from early Italian cavaliere (same meaning), derived from Latin caballarius "horseman," from earlier caballus "horse" — related to cavalry, chivalry see Word History at chivalry