preux chevalier

English

Etymology

Borrowed from French preux chevalier.

Noun

preux chevalier (plural preux chevaliers)

  1. A valiant knight; any gallant gentleman.
    • 1831, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter VI, in Romance and Reality. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, page 100:
      "I do not know any one who better realises my idea of a preux chevalier than Mr. Lorraine," replied Lady Mandeville. "He is so very handsome, to begin with; and there is a romantic tone about him, which, to its original merits of fine taste and elevated feelings, adds also that of being very uncommon."
    • 1865, Amelia Ann Blanford Edwards, Half a million of money:
      Perhaps Saxon was secretly comforted by the conviction that only a preux chevalier would be worthy of Miss Colonna, and that the preux chevalier was certainly not forthcoming.

Usage notes
  • Often italicized as a foreign borrowing.
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