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

Then the cavalry charge to the finish began and Shoemaker went with the crowd, to the outside. —Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2026

In terms of prospects, the cavalry has already arrived. —Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 26 Apr. 2026

In 1946, then a 19-year-old cavalry officer, Morris sat on a bollard on a wharf in Trieste to write an essay about nostalgia. —Sara Wheeler, Big Think, 17 Apr. 2026

An inscription from Rome records a Provocator who fought with a spatha, a long cavalry sword, not the standard short gladius. —Literary Hub, 15 Apr. 2026

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