gallant
- brave, spirited, noble-minded, or chivalrous: a gallant knight; a gallant rescue attempt.
- exceptionally polite and attentive to women; courtly.
- stately; grand: a gallant pageant.
- showy, colorful, or stylish, as in dress; magnificent.
- amorous; amatory.
- a brave, noble-minded, or chivalrous man.
- a man exceptionally attentive to women.
- a stylish and dashing man.
- a suitor or lover.
- a paramour.
- to court or act as a lover of (a woman).
- to escort (a woman).
- to attend or pay court as a gallant.
Origin of gallant
Synonyms for gallant
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comSynonym study
Related Words for gallantly
valiantly, boldly, gamely, heroically, gallantly, fearlessly, politely, kindly, cordially, gently, respectfully, graciously, amiably, attentively, tactfully, courteously, audaciously, chivalrously, unflinchingly, civillyExamples from the Web for gallantly
Contemporary Examples of gallantly
He was there at Gettysburg, gallantly leading outnumbered Yankee divisions before suffering a neck injury.
“I see what this man [the president] sees in you,” Stewart gallantly replied.
Historical Examples of gallantly
He took the hand which she extended and, bending over it, kissed it gallantly.
VivietteWilliam J. Locke
We gallantly declared that we thoroughly agreed with these principles of the toilette.
FreelandTheodor Hertzka
"It is very kind of you to return at all," replied Dan, gallantly enough.
The Inn at the Red OakLatta Griswold
"You may have seen twenty summers," gallantly conjectured Vivian.
Vivian GreyEarl of Beaconsfield, Benjamin Disraeli
A few of them gallantly reached the Turkish trenches and fell there.
With Manchesters in the EastGerald B. Hurst
gallant
- brave and high-spirited; courageous and honourable; dashinga gallant warrior
- (ɡəˈlænt, ˈɡælənt) (of a man) attentive to women; chivalrous
- imposing; dignified; statelya gallant ship
- archaic showy in dress
- a woman's lover or suitor
- a dashing or fashionable young man, esp one who pursues women
- a brave, high-spirited, or adventurous man
- (when intr, usually foll by with) to court or flirt (with)
- (tr) to attend or escort (a woman)
Word Origin for gallant
Word Origin and History for gallantly
gallant
mid-15c., "showy, finely dressed; gay, merry," from Old French galant "courteous," earlier "amusing, entertaining; lively, bold" (14c.), present participle of galer "rejoice, make merry," generally held to be from Latinized verb form of Frankish *wala- "good, well," from Proto-Germanic *wal- (cf. Old High German wallon "to wander, go on a pilgrimage"), from PIE *wel- "to wish, will" (see will (v.)), "but the transition of sense offers difficulties that are not fully cleared up" [OED]. Sense of "politely attentive to women" was adopted 17c. from French.
gallant
"man of fashion and pleasure," mid-15c., earlier "dissolute man, rake" (early 15c.); from gallant (adj.).