Errant

Pronunciation

• US IPA: /ˈɛɹənt/

Alternative forms

• erraunt obsolete

Origin

From Anglo-Norman erraunt, from Old French errant, from Latin errans ("wandering").

Full definition of errant

Adjective

1. straying from the proper course or standard, or outside established limits
• Sir Thomas Browneseven planets or errant stars in the lower orbs of heaven
2. prone to making errors
3. (proscribed) utter, complete (negative); arrant
• Ben Jonsonwould make me an errant fool

Usage notes

Sometimes arrant ("utter, complete") is considered simply an alternative spelling of errant, though many authorities distinguish them, reserving errant to mean “wandering” and using it after the noun it modifies, notably is “knight errant”, while using arrant to mean “utter”, in a negative sense, and before the noun it modifies, notably in “arrant knaves”.

Etymologically, arrant arose as a variant of errant, but the meanings have long since diverged. Both terms are archaic, primarily used in set phrases (which may be considered cliché), and are easily confused, and on that basis some authorities suggest against using either.

Synonyms

• (utter, complete) arrant generally distinguished; see usage

Derived terms

• knight-errant
• arrant

Anagrams

• ranter
• Ratner
• Terran