cavalry

noun

cav·​al·​ry ˈka-vəl-rē 

nonstandard

ˈkal-və-rē 

plural cavalries

1

a

: an army component mounted on horseback

b

: an army component moving in motor vehicles or helicopters and assigned to combat missions that require great mobility

2

: horsemen

a thousand cavalry in flight

Examples of cavalry in a Sentence

Cavalry is used to perform reconnaissance.

The cavalry were brought in to support the mission.

Recent Examples on the Web

Like the Nuggets' non-Jokic minutes, the gap in bench points is more about mitigating the losses until the cavalry's back on the floor again. —Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 16 May 2025

Kapanen went from being a mainstay in the lineup after he was claimed off waivers in November to being squeezed once the playoffs began and the cavalry of injured players returned. —Daniel Nugent-Bowman, New York Times, 15 May 2025

The Moroccan cavalry lent a hand, so there were 300 of them who had to be gotten ready before a shot. —Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 6 May 2025

Illinois can’t keep waiting for a cavalry that never comes. —Kelly McKinney, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

earlier cavallerie, borrowed from Middle French cavalerie, borrowed from Italian cavalleria, earlier cavalaria "group of soldiers on horseback, branch of arms made up of such soldiers," from cavalliere, cavaliere "horseback rider, mounted soldier" + -eria, borrowed from Middle French -erie -ery — more at cavalier entry 2

First Known Use

1546, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing cavalry

• cavalry twill

Kids Definition

cavalry

noun

cav·​al·​ry ˈkav-əl-rē 

plural cavalries

: troops mounted on horseback or moving in motor vehicles or helicopters

Etymology

from Italian cavallerie "cavalry, chivalry," from cavaliere "cavalier, knight," derived from Latin caballarius "horseman," from earlier caballus "horse" — related to cavalier, chivalry see Word History at chivalry