gallivant
verb
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Back in the 14th century, gallant, a noun borrowed from the French word galant, referred to a fashionable young man. By the middle of the next century, it was being used more specifically to refer to such a man who was attentive to, and had a fondness for, the company of women. In the late 17th century, this “ladies’ man” sense gave rise to the verb gallant to describe the process a suitor used to win a lady’s heart, and “gallanting” became synonymous with “courting.” It’s this verb gallant that is the likely source of gallivant, which originally meant “to act as a gallant” or “to go about usually ostentatiously or indiscreetly with members of the opposite sex.” Today, however, gallivant is more likely to describe pleasurable wandering than romancing.
Examples of gallivant in a Sentence
Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 7 June 2025
After seeing her out on the town gallivanting with a few shady characters, Kat's friends intervene, unaware that the teacher is actually on a secret mission at the direction of law enforcement.
—Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 14 June 2025
While Kylie Jenner was gallivanting around town with her bf Timothee Chalamet during F1 weekend, her ex Travis Scott was planning a birthday blowout.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 6 May 2025
The dozen gallivanted around the city, cruised on a cocktail boat ride, wore coordinating sparkly dresses for a night out and celebrated the bride-to-be, according to Ree's blog and Paige's Instagram posts.
—Sabrina Weiss, People.com, 1 Apr. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Gallivant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gallivant. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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