# cavalier

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˌkævəˈlɪɚ/ · frequency rank #23,196

## Definitions
1. Lacking the proper care or concern for something important, reckless, rash, high-handed.
2. High-spirited.
3. Supercilious.
4. Free and easy; unconcerned with formalities
5. Of or pertaining to the party of King Charles I of England (1600–1649).

## Etymology
First appears c. 1562 in a translation by Peter Whitehorne. Borrowed from Middle French cavalier (“horseman”), itself borrowed from Old Italian cavaliere (“mounted soldier, knight”), borrowed from Old Occitan cavalier, from Late Latin caballārius (“horseman”), from Latin caballus (“horse”), probably from Gaulish caballos 'nag', variant of cabillos (compare Welsh ceffyl, Breton kefel, Irish capall), akin to German (Swabish) Kōb 'nag' and Old Church Slavonic кобꙑла (kobyla) 'mare'. Previous English forms include cavalero and cavaliero. Doublet of caballero and chevalier.

## Easily confused with
- **chevalier** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cavalier-vs-chevalier)

## Common misspellings (11)
`acvalier`, `caavlier`, `cavailer`, `cavaleir`, `cavalierr`, `cavalire`, `cavallier`, `cavlaier`, `cavvalier`, `ccavalier`, `cvaalier`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/cavalier