Definition of ERRANT

errant

Meanings

Plural: errants

Adjective Satellite

  • straying from the right course or from accepted standards
    • "errant youngsters"
  • uncontrolled motion that is irregular or unpredictable
    • "an errant breeze"

Adj

  • Straying from the proper course or standard, or outside established limits.
  • Roving around; wandering.
  • Prone to err or making errors; misbehaving.
  • Obsolete form of arrant (“complete; downright, utter”).

Noun

  • A knight-errant.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English erraunt [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman erraunt, from Old French errant, the present participle of errer (“to walk (to); to wander (to); (figuratively) to travel, voyage”), and then:
* from Vulgar Latin iterāre (compare Late Latin itinerāre, itinerāri (“to travel, voyage”)), from Latin iter (“a route (including a journey, trip; a course; a path; a road)”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁ey- (“to go”); and
* from Latin errantem, the accusative feminine or masculine singular of errāns (“straying, errant; wandering”), the present active participle of errō (“to rove, wander; to get lost, go astray; to err, wander from the truth”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁ers- (“to flow”).
Doublet of arrant.

Scrabble Score: 6

errant is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
errant is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
errant is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 7

errant is a valid Words With Friends word