Skip to content

galant

gallant, chivalrous

adjective gah-LAHN Rare

Origin: Old French 'galer' (to make merry)

Also means

flirtatious, attentive to women

Usage Note

Galant primarily means courteous and attentive toward women. The feminine is galante. The noun galanterie means a gallant compliment or act of courtesy. In older French literature, galant also describes a suitor or admirer.

Examples

"Il était toujours galant avec les dames."

Natural Translation

He was always gallant with ladies.

Free starter pack

Building your French vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common French words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Explore French by topic