gallivant

or gal·a·vant

[ gal-uh-vant, gal-uh-vant ]

/ ˈgæl əˌvænt, ˌgæl əˈvænt /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: gallivant / gallivanter on Thesaurus.com

Definition of gallivant

verb (used without object)

to wander about, seeking pleasure or diversion; gad.

to go about frivolously and publicly with multiple romantic partners.

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Rarely gal·i·vant .

Origin of gallivant

First recorded in 1815–25; perhaps fanciful alteration of gallant

OTHER WORDS FROM gallivant

gal·li·vant·er, noun

Words nearby gallivant

galliot, Gallipoli, gallipot, gallium, gallium arsenide, gallivant, Gällivare, galliwasp, gall midge, gall mite, gallnut

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use gallivant in a sentence

I spent two weeks gallivanting through the underbrush and swimming across a deep blue lake, savoring the reprieve from my parents and school.
My Personal Quest to Study Supernovae on Mars - Issue 104: Harmony|Sarafina El-Badry Nance|September 1, 2021|Nautilus
In fact, what he wanted her to do, he said, was to gallivant—to gallivant all day long.
Miss Billy Married|Eleanor H. Porter
But when fortune favored him, Mr. Gallivant didn't bother with musty old law books.
Tin-Types Taken in the Streets of New York|Lemuel Ely Quigg
He put his soul into it, and when Mr. Gallivant's soul got into anything it straightway began to hum.
Tin-Types Taken in the Streets of New York|Lemuel Ely Quigg

Mr. Gallivant's soul was in many respects similar to a Corliss engine.
Tin-Types Taken in the Streets of New York|Lemuel Ely Quigg
It must be owned that in the privacy of his office this conclusion brought something very like a frown upon Mr. Gallivant's brow.
Tin-Types Taken in the Streets of New York|Lemuel Ely Quigg

British Dictionary definitions for gallivant

gallivant

galivant or galavant

/ (ˈɡælɪˌvænt) /

verb

(intr) to go about in search of pleasure; gad about

Word Origin for gallivant

C19: perhaps whimsical modification of gallant

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

gallivant

or gal·a·vant

Definition of gallivant

Origin of gallivant

OTHER WORDS FROM gallivant

Words nearby gallivant

Words related to gallivant

How to use gallivant in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for gallivant

galivant or galavant

Word Origin for gallivant