# cavort

> English word · Verb · IPA /kəˈvɔːt/

## Definitions
1. To prance, frolic, gambol.
2. To move about carelessly, playfully or boisterously.
3. To engage in extravagant pursuits, especially of a sexual nature.

## Etymology
Originated in the United States in 1793, as cauvaut, applying to horses, probably from the colloquial intensifying prefix ca-/ka- + vault (“jump, leap”); later generalized. Early sources connect it to cavault, a term for a certain demeanor of horses. Alternatively, a variation of curvet.

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