Definition of gallivant
intransitive verb
1 : to go about usually ostentatiously or indiscreetly with members of the opposite sex
2 : to travel, roam, or move about for pleasure been gallivanting all over town
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Examples of gallivant in a Sentence
They've been gallivanting all over town.
He's been gallivanting around the country when he ought to be looking for a job.
Recent Examples of gallivant from the Web
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Since then, he's been gallivanting around the country with Migos and Tory Lanez for Future's Nobody Safe Tour.
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What better way to get young people to pay attention to protecting themselves from HIV infection than to combine something silly (beauty pageant) with something riveting (beautiful women gallivanting about)?
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'gallivant'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
Back in the 14th century, a young man of fashion (or a ladies' man) was called a gallant. By the late 1600s, gallant was being used as a verb to describe the process a paramour used to win a lady's heart; to gallant became a synonym of "to court." Etymologists think that the spelling of the verb gallant was altered to create gallivant, which originally meant "to act as a gallant" or "to go about usually ostentatiously or indiscreetly with members of the opposite sex." Nowadays, however, gallivant is more likely to describe wandering than romancing.
Origin and Etymology of gallivant
perhaps extended form of 3gallant
First Known Use: 1823
GALLIVANT Defined for English Language Learners
gallivant
playDefinition of gallivant for English Language Learners
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: to go or travel to many different places for pleasure
GALLIVANT Defined for Kids
gallivant
Definition of gallivant for Students
gallivanted
;gallivanting
: to travel from place to place doing things for pleasure “Abandoning … his four little children to go gallivanting off on wild adventures …” — Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time
Learn More about gallivant
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See words that rhyme with gallivant Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for gallivant Spanish Central: Translation of gallivant Nglish: Translation of gallivant for Spanish speakers
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