volant
Americanadjective
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engaged in or having the power of flight.
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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
- nonvolant adjective
Etymology
Origin of volant
First recorded in 1540–50; from French, present participle of voler “to fly,” from Latin volāre; -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.
L'eau va viste en s'escoulant, Plus viste le traict volant, Et plus viste encore passe Le vent qui les nues chasse.
From Salon • Sep. 3, 2022
Patrolling males can be seen braving strong surge, motoring stiffly above the reef like a majestic, volant pickup truck.
From Slate • Mar. 11, 2015
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
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
Mean as the dust, through the volant vast Flung like chaff, as ashes cast To the nether storms, I sank, pride past, On the waiting wings of the First and Last ...
From Ioläus The man that was a ghost by Mackereth, James Allan
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.
