galliard

adjective

gal·liard | \ ˈgal-yərd

Definition of galliard

(Entry 1 of 2)

archaic

: gay, lively

galliard

noun

Definition of galliard (Entry 2 of 2)

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

History and Etymology for galliard

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