First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
1valiant
adjective val·iant \ˈval-yənt\
: having or showing courage : very brave or courageous
Full Definition of VALIANT
1
: possessing or acting with bravery or boldness : courageous <valiant soldiers>
2
: marked by, exhibiting, or carried out with courage or determination : heroic <valiant feats>
— val·iant·ly adverb
— val·iant·ness noun
See valiant defined for English-language learners
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Origin of VALIANT
Middle English vailant, valiant, from Anglo-French vaillant worthy, strong, courageous, from present participle of valer to be of worth, from Latin valēre to be strong — more at wield
Related to VALIANT
- Synonyms
- bold, courageous, dauntless, doughty, fearless, gallant, greathearted, gutsy, gutty, heroic (also heroical), intrepid, lionhearted, manful, stalwart, stout, stouthearted, undauntable, undaunted, brave, valorous
- Antonyms
- chicken, chickenhearted, chicken-livered, coward, cowardly, craven, dastardly, fainthearted, fearful, gutless, lily-livered, milk-livered [archaic], nerveless, poltroon, poor-spirited, pusillanimous, spineless, spiritless, timorous, uncourageous, ungallant, unheroic, weakhearted, yellow
2valiant
noun
Definition of VALIANT
: a valiant person
First Known Use of VALIANT
1589
VALIANT Defined for Kids
valiant
adjective val·iant \ˈval-yənt\
Definition of VALIANT for Kids
1
: boldly brave <valiant knights>
2
: done with courage : heroic
— val·iant·ly adverb <“… his house was invaded by a hundred spirits. He valiantly seized a broom to fight them off …” — Lloyd Alexander, Time Cat>
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