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chevalier

[shev-uh-leer or especially for 1, 2, shuh-val-yey, -vahl-]
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noun
  1. a member of certain orders of honor or merit: a chevalier of the Legion of Honor.
  2. French History. the lowest title of rank in the old nobility.
  3. a chivalrous man; cavalier.
  4. Archaic. a knight.

Origin of chevalier

1250–1300; < Middle French; replacing late Middle English chivaler < Anglo-French. See cavalier

Chevalier

[shuh-val-yey, -vahl-; French shuh-va-lyey]
noun
  1. Mau·rice (Au·guste) [maw-rees aw-guh st; French moh-rees oh-gyst] /mɔˈris ˈɔ gəst; French moʊˈris oʊˈgüst/, 1888–1972, French actor and singer.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for chevalier

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • He had previously been made a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour.

  • Olivo was delighted to see how well the Chevalier got on with the girls.

    Casanova's Homecoming

    Arthur Schnitzler

  • But where, my dear Olivo, is the Chevalier de Seingalt of whom you speak?

    Casanova's Homecoming

    Arthur Schnitzler

  • We will start on our drive to the nunnery as early as you please, Chevalier.

    Casanova's Homecoming

    Arthur Schnitzler

  • "No doubt the Chevalier only did so in order to lay the storm," said Marcolina.

    Casanova's Homecoming

    Arthur Schnitzler

British Dictionary definitions for chevalier

chevalier

noun
  1. a member of certain orders of merit, such as the French Legion of Honour
  2. French history
    1. a mounted soldier or knight, esp a military cadet
    2. the lowest title of rank in the old French nobility
  3. an archaic word for knight
  4. a chivalrous man; gallant

Word Origin

C14: from Old French, from Medieval Latin caballārius horseman, cavalier

Chevalier

noun
  1. (ˌʃɛvəˈlɪə) Albert. 1861–1923, British music hall entertainer, remembered for his cockney songs
  2. (ˌʃɛˈvælɪə, French ʃəvalje) Maurice (mɔris). 1888–1972, French singer and film actor
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for chevalier

n.

late 13c., Anglo-French chivaler "mounted knight," Old French chevalier "knight, horseman, knight in chess" (12c., Modern French chevaler), from Late Latin caballarius "horseman" (source of Provençal cavallier, Spanish caballero, Portuguese cavalleiro, Italian cavaliere; see cavalier (n.)). The word formerly was nativized, but has been given a French pronunciation since 16c.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper