errant

[ er-uhnt ]

adjective

1. deviating from the regular or proper course; erring; erring; straying.
2. journeying or traveling, as a medieval knight in quest of adventure; roving adventurously.
3. moving in an aimless or lightly changing manner:

   an errant breeze.

errant

/ ˈɛrənt /

adjective

1. archaic.
   wandering in search of adventure
2. erring or straying from the right course or accepted standards

Derived Forms

• ˈerrantly, adverb

Other Words From

• errant·ly adverb
• non·errant adjective
• non·errant·ly adverb
• un·errant adjective
• un·errant·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of errant¹

1300–50; Middle English erraunt < Middle French, Old French errant, present participle of errer, edrer to travel < Vulgar Latin *iterāre to journey, for Late Latin itinerārī, derivative of iter, stem itiner- journey ( itinerary ); confused with Middle French errant, present participle of errer to err

Word History and Origins

Origin of errant¹

C14: from Old French: journeying, from Vulgar Latin iterāre (unattested), from Latin iter journey; influenced by Latin errāre to err

Example Sentences

They rode their luck at times and were thankful for some errant finishing from the Italians, but what they delivered was pragmatic and mature.

From BBC

But ultimately he thought it would be "amusing" to leave the carcass in New York's Central Park, to make it appear that an errant cyclist had killed the animal.

From BBC

Stick made some errant throws and was picked off at the start of the third quarter.

From Los Angeles Times

The county’s northern-most jail complex has long housed outdoor shooting ranges, including one typically used by the FBI, which Sheriff’s Department investigators identified as the source of the errant bullet.

From Los Angeles Times

Freddie Freeman plated him with a double, then took third on another errant throw that got away from catcher Cal Raleigh.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• aberrant
• erratic
• offending
• stray
• unorthodox
• wayward