Cavalier

(-leer'), n. [Fr. cavalier, Pr. cavallier, cavayer, It. cavaliere, Sp. caballero, Pg. cavalleiro, L. Lat. caballarius, from Lat. caballus. See supra.]

1. A military man serving on horseback; a knight.
2. A gay, sprightly, gallant man. Shak.
3. One of the leaders of the court party in the time of King Charles I.;—so called on account of the gayety of their dress, manners, &c., as contrasted with the austerity of the adherents of Parliament, who were called Roundheads. Clarendon.
4. (Fort.) A work of extraordinary height, overlooking the surrounding parts, as a horseman overlooks foot-soldiers.

a. 1. Gay; sprightly; generous. The plodding, persevering, scrupulous accuracy of the one, and the easy, cavalier, verbal fluency of the other, form a complete contrast. Hazlitt. 2. Brave; warlike. The people are naturally not valiant, and not much cavalier. Suckling.

3. Supercilious in consequence of a feeling of superiority; haughty; disdainful; as, cavalier behavior.
4. Relating to the party of King Charles I.