Cavalry

//ˈkæ.vəl.ɹi// noun

noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    The military arm of service that fights while riding horses. historical, uncountable, usually

    "Two hundred heavily-armed cavalry rode behind the Audley standard, while close at their heels came the Duke of Lancaster with a glittering train, heralds tabarded with the royal arms riding three deep upon cream-colored chargers in front of him."

  2. 2
    a highly mobile army unit wordnet
  3. 3
    An individual unit of this arm of service. countable
  4. 4
    troops trained to fight on horseback wordnet
  5. 5
    The branch of the military transported by fast light vehicles, also known as mechanized cavalry. countable
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  1. 6
    A source of rescue, especially in an emergency. countable, figuratively, uncountable

    "call in the cavalry"

Synonyms

All synonyms
armorelephantryhorsehorse cavalry

Example

More examples

""We have carried the day, Sir!" exclaimed the adjutant to the general as the heavy cavalry smashed through the opposing lines."

Etymology

From Middle French cavalerie, in turn from Italian cavalleria. Recorded in English from the 1540s. Doublet of chivalry.

Related phrases

cavalry bonecavalry moustachecavalry mustacheheavy cavalrylight cavalrymechanized cavalryheavy cavalrymechanized cavalrymiddle ages

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.