valiant

[val-yuhnt]

See more synonyms for valiant on Thesaurus.com

adjective

boldly courageous; brave; stout-hearted: a valiant soldier.
marked by or showing bravery or valor; heroic: to make a valiant effort.
worthy; excellent.

Origin of valiant

1275–1325; Middle English valia(u)nt < Anglo-French; Middle French vaillant, present participle of valoir to be of worth < Latin valēre; see -ant

Related formsval·iant·ly, adverbval·iant·ness, nouno·ver·val·iant, adjectiveo·ver·val·iant·ly, adverbo·ver·val·iant·ness, nounun·val·iant, adjectiveun·val·iant·ly, adverbun·val·iant·ness, noun

Synonyms for valiant

See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.com

1. valorous, dauntless.

Synonym study

1. See brave.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for valiant

gallant, noble, intrepid, vigorous, fearless, strong-willed, gutsy, indomitable, plucky, stout, courageous, heroic, adventurous, assertive, audacious, bold, chivalrous, dauntless, game, grand

Examples from the Web for valiant

Contemporary Examples of valiant

It seems to me that he is playing the part of the valiant hero nearing his end.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days
David Freeman
December 13, 2014
It is a valiant, encyclopedic attempt of a star jurist to give voice(s) to an embattled philosophical position.
All The Wrong Reasons to Ban Gay Unions
Jay Michaelson
November 7, 2014
Her valiant recovery made her an inspiration for everyone, and an icon for Democrats.
The Battle Is On in Gabby Giffords’s Old District
Eleanor Clift
October 9, 2014
The savage beheading carried out by the thugs of the so-called Islamic State ended the life of brave man and a valiant journalist.
The James Foley I Knew in the ISIS War Zone
Jamie Dettmer
August 20, 2014
In its finest World Cup victory, a valiant U.S. team gets revenge on the country that knocked it out of the last two cups.
Stars and Stripes 2, Black Stars 1: Team USA Takes a Win From Ghana
Tunku Varadarajan
June 17, 2014

Historical Examples of valiant

I have seen them fight too often not to know that they are very hardy and valiant gentlemen.
The White Company
Arthur Conan Doyle
I had thought that you were in Spain with the valiant Henry of Trastamare.
The White Company
Arthur Conan Doyle
But they are simple-hearted and valiant servants of their Master.
Camps, Quarters and Casual Places
Archibald Forbes
"I am your enemy," answered the valiant Pygmy, in his mightiest squeak.
Tanglewood Tales
Nathaniel Hawthorne
The fierce Hunding is to fight with my dearest friend--the valiant Siegmund.
Opera Stories from Wagner
Florence Akin

British Dictionary definitions for valiant

valiant

adjective

courageous, intrepid, or stout-hearted; brave
marked by bravery or couragea valiant deed

Derived Formsvaliance or valiancy, nounvaliantly, adverb

Word Origin for valiant

C14: from Old French vaillant, from valoir to be of value, from Latin valēre to be strong

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 valiant

adj.

early 14c. (late 12c. in surnames), from Anglo-French and Old French valliant "stalwart, brave," from present participle of valoir "be worthy," originally "be strong," from Latin valere "be strong, be well, be worth, have power, be able," from PIE root *wal- "be strong" (cf. Old English wealdan "to rule," Old High German -walt, -wald "power" (in personal names), Old Norse valdr "ruler," Old Church Slavonic vlasti "to rule over," Lithuanian valdyti "to have power," Celtic *walos- "ruler," Old Irish flaith "dominion," Welsh gallu "to be able"). Related: Valiantly.