lancer

American  

[lan-ser, lahn-] / ˈlæn sər, ˈlɑn- /

noun

1. a cavalry soldier armed with a lance.

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lancer British  

/ ˈlɑːnsə /

noun

1. (formerly) a cavalryman armed with a lance

2. 1. a member of a regiment retaining such a title

   2. ( plural; capital when part of a name )

      the 21st Lancers

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Etymology

Origin of lancer

From the Middle French word lancier, dating back to 1580–90. See lance ¹, -er ²

Example Sentences

Once a company of lancers appeared, but they turned southward.

From Literature

When President Xi Jinping of China arrived in India a year ago for a visit, he was welcomed at each stop by gleaming military honor guards, including a row of turbaned cavalry lancers on horseback.

From New York Times

The New York Times staff was recognized in the international category for its Ebola stories and for the feature photography of a free­lancer, Daniel Berehulak, who documented the epidemic in West Africa.

From Washington Post

Economic sanctions are to modern statecraft what mounted lancers were to war in the trenches: magnificent but useless.

From The Guardian

Behind followed nine tenths of their horse; knights, lancers, freeriders, and mounted bowmen. ^ took hours for them all to cross.

From Literature