volant
Americanadjective
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engaged in or having the power of flight.
-
moving lightly; nimble.
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Heraldry. (of a bird) represented as having the wings extended for flight.
an eagle volant clutching a fish in its claws.
noun
adjective
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(usually postpositive) heraldry in a flying position
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rare flying or capable of flight
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poetic moving lightly or agilely; nimble
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of volant
First recorded in 1540–50; from French, present participle of voler “to fly,” from Latin volāre; see -ant
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Patrolling males can be seen braving strong surge, motoring stiffly above the reef like a majestic, volant pickup truck.
From Slate ● Mar. 11, 2015
A volant khaodracian and marine seawasp, podarciforms, lugagub iguaniform and marine skink are shown at top; assorted varanidans, teiioids and iguanians are shown at middle; an acanthodactylid and anopsidian amphisbaenian are at bottom.
From Scientific American ● Apr. 1, 2013
Thick squamofiber coats are present in the endothermic uromastyxians and agamiforms of the cool Asian continental interior and also in many of the volant khaodracians of Eurasia.
From Scientific American ● Apr. 1, 2013
Finally, Frankie made a return volant to the U.S., still determinedly withholding his paw sinister from the gold circlet that anyone might wish to slip on his finger.
From Time Magazine Archive
I have considered the structure of all volant animals, and find the folding continuity of the bat’s wings most easily accommodated to the human form.
From Shorter Novels, Eighteenth Century The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia; The Castle of Otranto, a Gothic Story; Vathek, an Arabian Tale by William Beckford
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
