cavalry

UK: /ˈkæv^əlri/ US: /ˈkævəlri/ ,(kav′əl rē)

Inflections of 'cavalry' (n): npl: cavalries

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

cav•al•ry /ˈkævəlri/   n. [countable] , pl. -ries. 

1. Military a unit of troops on horseback.
2. soldiers in motorized units:
   The fifth cavalry drove across the desert.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

cav•al•ry  (kav′əl rē), n., pl. -ries. 

1. Military
   • the part of a military force composed of troops that serve on horseback.
   • mounted soldiers collectively.
   • the motorized, armored units of a military force organized for maximum mobility.
2. horsemen, horses, etc., collectively.

• Italian cavalleria, derivative of cavaliere cavalier
• syncopated variant of cavallery 1585–95

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

cavalry / ˈkævəlrɪ/ noun ( -ries)

1. (esp formerly) the part of an army composed of mounted troops
2. the armoured element of a modern army
3. (as modifier): a cavalry unit, a cavalry charge

Etymology: 16th Century: from French cavallerie, from Italian cavalleria, from cavaliere horseman; see cavalier

ˈcavalryman noun