Cavalier

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ËŒkævəˈlɪər/
• Rhymes: -ɪə(ɹ)

Origin

1589, from Middle French cavalier 'horseman',

Merriam Webster Online

from Old Italian cavaliere ("mounted soldier, knight"),

Online Etymology Dictionary

from Old Provencal cavalier, from Late Latin caballārius ("horseman"), from Latin caballus ("horse"), from Gaulish caballos 'nag', variant of cabillos (compare Welsh ceffyl, Breton kefel, Irish capall), akin to German (Swabish) Kōb 'nag' and Old Church Slavonic kobyla 'mare'.

Previous English forms include cavalero, cavaliero.

Full definition of cavalier

Adjective

1. Not caring enough about something important.The very dignified officials were confused by his cavalier manner.
• 2003, Bill Bryson, A Short History of Nearly Everything, Black Swan, pg.46:Far from marking the outer edge of the solar system, as those school-room maps so cavalierly imply, Pluto is barely one-fifty-thousandth of the way.
2. High-spirited.
3. Supercilious; haughty; disdainful; curt; brusque.
4. Of or pertaining to the party of King Charles I.

Noun

1. A military man serving on horse.
2. A sprightly, military man; hence, a gallant.
3. One of the court party in the time of King Charles I, as contrasted with a Roundhead or an adherent of Parliament.
4. A work of more than ordinary height, rising from the level ground of a bastion, etc., and overlooking surrounding parts.
5. A well mannered man; a gentleman.

Anagrams

• variceal