chivalry
noun
Thomas MaloryLord ByronAlfred TennysonH. W. Van Loon
Did you know?
Chivalry is dead, they say. The statement is indisputably true in at least one sense: the word chivalry first referred to medieval knights, as in “the king was accompanied by his chivalry,” and we're quite certain those knights are all long gone. But the word’s meaning has shifted since the 14th century, with other meanings joining the first over the years. Today, chivalry typically refers to an honorable and polite way of behaving, especially by men toward women. And when people say “chivalry is dead” they’re usually bemoaning either a perceived lack of good manners among those they encounter generally, or a dearth of men holding doors for appreciative women. The word came to English by way of French, and is ultimately from the Late Latin word caballārius, meaning “horseback rider, groom,” ancestor too of another term for a daring medieval gentleman-at-arms: cavalier. In a twist, the adjective form of cavalier is often used to describe someone who is overly nonchalant about important matters—not exactly chivalrous.
Examples of chivalry in a Sentence
Claire Osborn, Austin American-Statesman, 12 Mar. 2024
There are knights with a strong sense of chivalry, and dueling beliefs in faeries and Jesus Christ, and a deep passion for questing.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024
Of the 3,000 single women surveyed, 56% said chivalry is very important in a potential partner.
—Laura Daniella Sepulveda, The Arizona Republic, 9 Aug. 2024
Not so in Martin's realm: Sansa, the only character who appears to buy into notions of chivalry, is painted as pitiably naive.
—Charli Carpenter, Foreign Affairs, 29 Mar. 2012
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Dictionary Entries Near chivalry
Cite this Entry
“Chivalry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chivalry. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
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chivalry
noun
Middle English chivalrie "group of knights, qualities of knighthood," from early French chevalerie (same meaning), from chevalier "knight, noble horseman," from Latin caballarius "horseman," from earlier caballus "horse" — related to cavalier, cavalry
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