gallantly
Americanadverb
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in a way that shows exceptional politeness and attentiveness to others, especially women.
My husband gallantly offered to hitchhike to a gas station while I remained on the boat with our dog.
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in a courageous, spirited, or noble-minded way.
He fell while gallantly leading his platoon in one of the hardest-fought battles of the war.
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in a grand, showy, or magnificent way.
I've heard stories about how he would parade around gallantly in full knightly attire at the Renaissance fair.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of gallantly
First recorded in 1550–60; gallant ( def. ) + -ly
Explanation
Use the adverb gallantly to describe something done in a heroic or chivalrous manner. You can gallantly slay a dragon or gallantly offer an elderly man your seat on the bus. Think of the lyrics to the "Star Spangled Banner," which describe the “broad stripes and bright stars” that were so “gallantly streaming.” The flag was waving gallantly — meaning bravely and grandly — through the battle. But you don't have to be in a war to do something gallantly. You might play gallantly during the second half of the championship game to lead your team to victory.
Vocabulary lists containing gallantly
The Outsiders
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"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 7–11
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The Star-Spangled Banner
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Derr said he expected the foundation to conduct its primary fundraiser, The Gallantly Forward Gala, held annually since 2013, again this fall.
From Washington Times • Jul. 17, 2017
Gallantly Orson Welles declared that, rather than see his great friend, George Schaefer, in Dutch, he would see Citizen Kane die unopened in a can.
From Time Magazine Archive
Gallantly he toasted teetotaling Lady Astor in it.
From Time Magazine Archive
Gallantly, Shepilov apologized for not having sukiyaki for his Japanese guests.
From Time Magazine Archive
Gallantly, it must be owned by all who saw the movement, did the gray-clads spring forward to the encounter, rushing over the field at an accelerating speed which soon increased to a full run.
From Shoulder-Straps A Novel of New York and the Army, 1862 by Morford, Henry
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
