cavalry

noun

cav·​al·​ry ˈka-vəl-rē 

nonstandard

ˈkal-və-rē 

plural cavalries

1

a

: an army component mounted on horseback

b

: an army component moving in motor vehicles or helicopters and assigned to combat missions that require great mobility

2

: horsemen

a thousand cavalry in flight

Examples of cavalry in a Sentence

Cavalry is used to perform reconnaissance.

The cavalry were brought in to support the mission.

Recent Examples on the Web

In September 2019, Bridges joined the Army as a cavalry scout in the Third Infantry Division, based in Fort Stewart, Georgia. —Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 13 Oct. 2024

Related Articles Nick Ahmed gets revenge as light flickers on SF Giants’ playoff hopes after series loss to Dodgers Robbie Ray doesn’t allow a hit as SF Giants notch first win of 2024 at Dodger Stadium As Robbie Ray makes SF Giants debut, is the ‘cavalry’ arriving too late? —Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 25 July 2024

Financially, Rogue Machine continues to operate by the skin of its teeth, but the cavalry has come in the form of a game-changing grant from the Perenchio Foundation and an anonymous philanthropic gift that will further shore up institutional stability. —Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2024

And lo, a cavalry of screen-ready revivalists has arrived to wage the End Times war against the satanic infantry. —Sam Kestenbaum, Harper's Magazine, 21 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

earlier cavallerie, borrowed from Middle French cavalerie, borrowed from Italian cavalleria, earlier cavalaria "group of soldiers on horseback, branch of arms made up of such soldiers," from cavalliere, cavaliere "horseback rider, mounted soldier" + -eria, borrowed from Middle French -erie -ery — more at cavalier entry 2

First Known Use

1546, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing cavalry

• cavalry twill

Kids Definition

cavalry

noun

cav·​al·​ry ˈkav-əl-rē 

plural cavalries

: troops mounted on horseback or moving in motor vehicles or helicopters

Etymology

from Italian cavallerie "cavalry, chivalry," from cavaliere "cavalier, knight," derived from Latin caballarius "horseman," from earlier caballus "horse" — related to cavalier, chivalry see Word History at chivalry