chivalry

noun

chiv·​al·​ry ˈshi-vəl-rē How to pronounce chivalry (audio)
plural chivalries
1
: mounted men-at-arms
… the eleven kings with their chivalry never turned back …Thomas Malory
2
archaic
a
: martial (see martial sense 1) valor
b
: knightly skill
3
: gallant or distinguished gentlemen
… Belgium's capital had gathered then her beauty and her chivalryLord Byron
4
: the system, spirit, or customs of medieval knighthood
but Lancelot on him urged all the devisings of their chivalryAlfred Tennyson
5
: the qualities of the ideal knight : chivalrous conduct
chivalry demanded of him that he be conspicuous through his gallant, courteous, and generous behaviorH. W. Van Loon

Did you know?

Chivalry is dead, they say. The statement is indisputably true in at least one sense: the word chivalry first referred to medieval knights, as in “the king was accompanied by his chivalry,” and we're quite certain those knights are all long gone. But the word’s meaning has shifted since the 14th century, with other meanings joining the first over the years. Today, chivalry typically refers to an honorable and polite way of behaving, especially by men toward women. And when people say “chivalry is dead” they’re usually bemoaning either a perceived lack of good manners among those they encounter generally, or a dearth of men holding doors for appreciative women. The word came to English by way of French, and is ultimately from the Late Latin word caballārius, meaning “horseback rider, groom,” ancestor too of another term for a daring medieval gentleman-at-arms: cavalier. In a twist, the adjective form of cavalier is often used to describe someone who is overly nonchalant about important matters—not exactly chivalrous.

Examples of chivalry in a Sentence

the knight's code of chivalry He paid her fare as an act of chivalry.
Recent Examples on the Web Those who say chivalry is dead have never seen a Carpool Captain badge. Zach Przystup, Baltimore Sun, 14 Feb. 2024 In England, of course, he was lauded as the epitome of noble chivalry, but the French in Aquitaine held a very different view. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 2 Jan. 2023 The banner birthday was marked with a balcony appearance, glam royal gala and induction into the Order of the Elephant, Denmark’s highest honor of chivalry, followed by a formal declaration to the constitution that November. Skyler Caruso, Peoplemag, 5 Jan. 2024 While some brides who embrace the trend are driven solely by the beauty of the aesthetic and its uniquely flattering cuts, there is also a group of romantics attracted by the period in history that these gowns evoke, with its associations with romance and chivalry. Estrella Albendea, Vogue, 7 Dec. 2023 The Danish Royal Court announced the awards of Denmark’s highest honor of chivalry on Monday, explaining that the designation came directly from the Queen. Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 6 Nov. 2023 Established in 1348 by King Edward III, who was inspired by stories of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, the Order of the Garter is the oldest and most senior order of chivalry in Britain—and membership in the Order is an extremely big deal. Emily Burack, Town & Country, 13 June 2022 While that draping is the correct way to wear Denmark’s highest order of chivalry, protocol calls for the Order of Saint Olga and Sophia sash to be worn from right to left. Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 17 Oct. 2023 In each episode, participants don armor, grab swords, axes and other historical weapons, and then beat the living chivalry out of each other. Margaret Lyons, New York Times, 21 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'chivalry.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English chevalerie, chivalerie, chevalrye, chyvalrie "body of mounted soldiers or knights serving an overlord, knights and their lords as a social class, warfare, feat of arms, values (as valor and generosity) constituting the code of knighthood," borrowed from Anglo-French chevalerie, chivalerie (also continental Old French), from chevaler, chivaler, chivalier "horseman, mounted soldier, knight" + -erie -ery — more at chevalier

Note: Regarding the pronunciation with initial \sh\ see note at chivalrous.

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of chivalry was in the 14th century

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Dictionary Entries Near chivalry

Cite this Entry

“Chivalry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chivalry. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

chivalry

noun
chiv·​al·​ry ˈshiv-əl-rē How to pronounce chivalry (audio)
1
: a body of knights
2
: the system, spirit, ways, or customs of knighthood
3
: chivalrous conduct
Etymology

Middle English chivalrie "group of knights, qualities of knighthood," from early French chevalerie (same meaning), from chevalier "knight, noble horseman," from Latin caballarius "horseman," from earlier caballus "horse" — related to cavalier, cavalry

Word Origin
In the Middle Ages the French referred to a knight as a chevalier. This word is derived from the Latin word for "horseman," caballarius, which in turn comes from Latin caballus, meaning "horse." Knights were supposed to follow a code of conduct which required them to be brave, devoted to duty, and kind to the weak. The French word for these qualities was chevalerie. When this noun was borrowed into English, it became chivalry. Its adjective forms are chivalrous and chivalric. The Latin word for "horseman," caballarius, has also given us two other common English words. One is cavalry, meaning "troops mounted on horseback," and the other is cavalier, which as a noun means "mounted knight, gentleman" and as an adjective means "tending to ignore the rights of others." Cavalier may be traced back through French and Italian to its Latin source. In English, cavalier was used especially to refer to a mounted soldier who was colorful in dress and gallant in manner. During the English Civil War (1641–1649), those who backed the king were called Cavaliers, probably because of their vivid look and stylish manners. Some cavaliers, however, became proud and rude. They showed scorn for people of lower social rank. The result was that the adjective cavalier came to be used to describe such a scornful person.
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