Old Portuguese

Noun

cavaleiro m ‎(plural cavaleiros)

1. knight (mediaeval warrior)
2. a noble ranked below an infançon and above an escudeiro

Coordinate terms

• (Portuguese fidalgo ranks) fidalgo; ricome, infançon, cavaleiro, escudeiro

Related terms

• cavalo

Descendants

• Galician: cabaleiro
• Portuguese: cavaleiro

Portuguese

cavaleiro

Alternative forms

• (obsolete): cavaleyro, cavalleiro, cavalleyro

Etymology

From Old Portuguese cavaleiro, from Late Latin caballārius, from Latin caballus; corresponds to Portuguese cavalo ‎(“horse”) +‎ -eiro ‎(“-eer”). Doublet of cavalheiro.

Pronunciation

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /kɐvɐˈlɐjɾu/, /kɐvɐˈlejɾu/
• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˌka.va.ˈle(j).ɾu/
  • (South Brazil) IPA^(key): /ka.va.ˈlej.ɾo/
• Hyphenation: ca‧va‧lei‧ro

Noun

cavaleiro m (plural cavaleiros, feminine cavaleira, feminine plural cavaleiras)

1. (military, historical) knight (heavily armoured warrior of the Middle Ages)
2. (military) cavalryman; cavalier (soldier who serves on a cavalry regiment)
3. horseman; horserider (person who rides a horse)
4. (nobility) knight (noble ranked below a baron)

Synonyms

• (cavalryman): cavalariano

Derived terms

• a cavaleiro
• a cavaleiro de
• cavaleirismo
• cavaleiro andante
• cavaleiro errante
• cavaleiro teutónico
• cavaleiro-vilão

Related terms

• cavalheiro
• cavalo
• cavalaria
• cavalhada