What does gallant mean?
Gallant is an adjective describing someone — or their actions — as brave, noble, and chivalrous, especially when facing danger, hardship, or likely defeat. A soldier holding a position against overwhelming odds, or a losing team that fights to the very last minute, can both be called gallant. The word also has a romantic sense: a gallant man is courteously and charmingly attentive to women, in the manner of a courtly gentleman of earlier centuries. A third, now largely historical sense describes someone showily elegant or splendid in dress. The word carries a warm, admiring, faintly old-fashioned tone, and it frequently appears in the phrase 'a gallant effort', used to salute a courageous failure. Derived from Old French, where it meant merry and high-spirited, 'gallant' entered English in the medieval period alongside the culture of knights and courtly love. Its derivatives include the adverb 'gallantly' and the noun 'gallantry', which denotes brave or chivalrous conduct.
Brave, noble, and chivalrous; also, showily fine or dashing in appearance.
"She paid gallant tribute to her defeated rival."
Most common form of the word today.
A dashing, chivalrous man, especially one attentive to women; a gallant of fashionable society.
"The ballroom was crowded with perfumed gallants vying for her attention."
Now largely historical, associated with 16th–18th century courtly society.
(dated) To attend or escort a woman with courtly politeness.
"He gallanted the countess to her carriage after the opera."
Rare and largely obsolete.
Applies only to the noun sense referring to dashing, courtly men; the adjective form does not pluralize.
"The portraits depicted the gallants of the Stuart court in all their finery."
'Gallant' has two accepted pronunciations in British English — GAL-uhnt and guh-LANT — so if you say it differently from a friend, you might both be right.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of gallant
Gallant comes from Old French 'galant', originally the present participle of 'galer', meaning to make merry or indulge in pleasure, giving the sense of high-spirited and stylish. It entered English in the late medieval period, where its meaning shifted toward bravery and courtly courtesy under the influence of chivalric culture. The same Old French root produced the English derivative 'gallantry' and connects to 'gala', reflecting the shared notion of festive splendour.
Related word forms
How gallant is actually used
The word carries a strongly positive, somewhat old-fashioned connotation; it often appears in phrases like 'a gallant effort', which can ironically praise a valiant failure. In modern speech the 'showy in dress' sense has largely faded into historical usage.
Easily confused with gallant
To gallivant means to wander about seeking pleasure or amusement, whereas gallant describes bravery, chivalry, or stylish elegance — despite the similar spelling, they are unrelated in meaning.