adjective
errant
EHRNT
Errant (adjective) means straying from what is normal, expected, or proper; behaving badly. Example: “The teacher had a quiet word with her errant students.”
adjective
1
Straying from what is normal, expected, or proper; behaving badly.
"The teacher had a quiet word with her errant students."
"An errant shot from the striker sailed over the crossbar."
noun
1
A knight-errant — a wandering knight from medieval romance who travels in search of adventure.
"The tale follows an errant on a quest to rescue the princess."
How to use errant
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDescribes something or someone that has wandered off course, whether literally (a stray ball) or in behaviour (a misbehaving person).
Easily confused with
Common pairings
errant knight
errant behaviour
errant shot
knight-errant
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Word forms
- Plural
- errants
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Etymology
From Old French errant, "wandering, traveling," ultimately tied to both Latin iter ("journey") and errare ("to wander, err") — a doublet of the word "arrant."
Related words
Rhymes for errant
See all rhymes for errant →Frequently asked questions
What does “errant” mean?
The word “errant” means straying from what is normal, expected, or proper; behaving badly. In plain terms, describes something or someone that has wandered off course, whether literally (a stray ball) or in behaviour (a misbehaving person).
How do you pronounce “errant”?
“Errant” is pronounced EHRNT (/ˈɛɹənt/ in IPA).
How do you use “errant” in a sentence?
Here is “errant” used in a sentence: “The teacher had a quiet word with her errant students.”
What part of speech is “errant”?
Depending on how it is used, “errant” can be an adjective and a noun.
Where does the word “errant” come from?
The word “errant” comes from Latin. From Old French errant, "wandering, traveling," ultimately tied to both Latin iter ("journey") and errare ("to wander, err") — a doublet of the word "arrant.".
How many meanings does “errant” have?
“Errant” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: straying from what is normal, expected, or proper; behaving badly.
