gallant

1 of 3

adjective

gal·​lant
(usually in sense 2)
ˈga-lənt How to pronounce gallant (audio) gə-ˈlant How to pronounce gallant (audio)
(usually in sense 3)
gə-ˈlänt How to pronounce gallant (audio)
1
: showy in dress or bearing : smart
2
a
: splendid, stately
a gallant ship
b
: spirited, brave
gallant efforts against the enemy
c
: nobly chivalrous and often self-sacrificing
3
: courteously and elaborately attentive especially to ladies
gallantly adverb

gallant

2 of 3

noun

1
: a young man of fashion
2

gallant

3 of 3

verb

gal·​lant gə-ˈlant How to pronounce gallant (audio) -ˈlänt How to pronounce gallant (audio)
gallanted; gallanting; gallants

transitive verb

1
: to pay court to (a lady) : attend
used to gallant her in his youthWashington Irving
2
obsolete : to manipulate (a fan) in a modish manner

intransitive verb

: to pay court to ladies
Choose the Right Synonym for gallant

civil, polite, courteous, gallant, chivalrous mean observant of the forms required by good breeding.

civil often suggests little more than the avoidance of overt rudeness.

owed the questioner a civil reply

polite commonly implies polish of speech and manners and sometimes suggests an absence of cordiality.

if you can't be pleasant, at least be polite

courteous implies more actively considerate or dignified politeness.

clerks who were unfailingly courteous to customers

gallant and chivalrous imply courteous attentiveness especially to women.

gallant suggests spirited and dashing behavior and ornate expressions of courtesy.

a gallant suitor of the old school

chivalrous suggests high-minded and self-sacrificing behavior.

a chivalrous display of duty

Examples of gallant in a Sentence

Adjective The defenders of the fort made a gallant stand. They failed to reach the summit, but they made a gallant attempt. He greeted her with a gallant bow. He offered her his seat in a gallant gesture. Noun he was quite a gallant, primping more than either of his sisters she had a whole host of gallants vying for her hand in marriage
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Albert Suárez stepped in to pitch a gallant five innings but understandably could not go more on short notice. Childs Walker, Baltimore Sun, 9 Aug. 2024 Follow the generally gallant writer of this newsletter on Threads @jimreineking 🧵. Jim Reineking, USA TODAY, 25 June 2024
Noun
The only person Lorelei knows must be innocent is her longtime academic rival, the insufferably gallant and maddeningly beautiful Sylvia von Wolff. Sarah Yang, Sunset Magazine, 20 Sep. 2024 By the 140th anniversary of Corbit’s Charge in June 2003, Tom had located a sizable number of descendants of the 1st Delaware Cavalry who participated in the June 29, 1863, gallant but futile Corbit’s Charge. Mary Ann Ashcraft, Baltimore Sun, 22 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for gallant 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gallant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English galaunt, borrowed from Middle French galant, from present participle of galer "to squander in pleasures, have a good time, enjoy oneself," going back to Old French, going back to Gallo-Romance *walāre, derivative of Old Low Franconian *wala "well, with good appearance or effect," going back to Germanic *welō — more at well entry 3

Noun

Middle English galaunt, gallaunt, borrowed from Middle French, noun derivative of galant gallant entry 1

Verb

derivative of gallant entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1672, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of gallant was in the 14th century

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Dictionary Entries Near gallant

Cite this Entry

“Gallant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gallant. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

gallant

1 of 2 noun
1
: a fashionable young man
2
a
: a man who likes the company of women and is attentive to them

gallant

2 of 2 adjective
gal·​lant ˈgal-ənt How to pronounce gallant (audio)
(usually in sense 2b);
gə-ˈlant How to pronounce gallant (audio) gə-ˈlänt How to pronounce gallant (audio)
 (usually in sense 3) 
1
: showy in dress or bearing
2
a
: splendid sense 2, stately
a gallant ship
c
: chivalrous sense 2a, noble
a gallant knight
3
: polite and attentive to women
gallantly adverb

Biographical Definition

Gallant

biographical name

Gal·​lant ga-ˈlant How to pronounce Gallant (audio)
Mavis 1922–2014 originally Mavis de Trafford Young Canadian-French writer

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