chevalier
/ˌʃɛvəˈlɪə
/noun historical
1A knight.The poor chevalier de La Barre subsequently joined Calas in the ranks of the Enlightenment's martyrs....
- In 1808 the imperial nobility was completed with the ranks of count, baron, and chevalier, all of them hereditary.
- Philippe, chevalier de Lorraine, like Guiche before him, bore a striking resemblance to Louis himself.
1.1A member of certain orders of knighthood or of modern French orders such as the Legion of Honour.He was also honoured with France's highest cultural honour, becoming a chevalier of the Legion d' Honneur, in the same year Sophie met a brutal death....
- He was made a chevalier of the French Legion of Honor in 1896, and received the Order of Saint Michael from the government of Bavaria in 1898.
- Coolidge organised courses for his men at the Sorbonne in 1919 and in that year the French government made him a chevalier of the Légion d' Honneur.
1.2 (Chevalier) British historical A title of the Old and Young Pretenders.If anybody needs reminding, Hector and Plunder also went by the names of Charles Edward and Henry Benedict, i.e. the Young Pretender / Chevalier and his brother.
Origin
Late Middle English (denoting a horseman or mounted knight): from Old French, from medieval Latin caballarius, from Latin caballus 'horse'. Compare with caballero and cavalier.