valiant

[ val-yuhnt ]

/ ˈvæl yənt /

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.

Nearby words

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

SYNONYMS FOR valiant

1. valorous, dauntless.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR valiant ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

val·iant·ly, adverbval·iant·ness, nouno·ver·val·iant, adjectiveo·ver·val·iant·ly, adverb

o·ver·val·iant·ness, nounun·val·iant, adjectiveun·val·iant·ly, adverbun·val·iant·ness, noun

Synonym study

1. See brave.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for 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|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST

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|DAILY BEAST
When the Huns invaded Gaul, this skilled and valiant commander flew to its relief.
Historical Tales, Vol. 6 (of 15)|Charles Morris
The valiant prelate passed the rest of his days in seclusion, supported by the alms of the faithful.
The Jesuits, 1534-1921|Thomas J. Campbell
But there was one of all that gang who did not flee, and that was the valiant hound.
Frontier Boys in Frisco|Wyn Roosevelt
Yet one by one the great trees toppled and fell before his valiant strokes.
Vermont|Rowland E. Robinson
Fare ye well, at home, most upright judges, and in warfare most valiant combatants.
The Captiva and The Mostellaria|Plautus

British Dictionary definitions for valiant

valiant

/ (ˈvæljənt) /

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

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.

valiant

adjective

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Origin of valiant

Synonym study

Examples from the Web for valiant

valiant

adjective

Word Origin for valiant

valiant