chivalry [ME] The word chivalry springs from the fact that a knight rode a horse. Chivalry came into English from medieval Latin caballerius, which was based on Latin caballus ‘horse’. Cavalry [M16th], cavalier [M16th], and cavalcade [L16th] come from the same Latin word. In its early use chivalry could describe knights, noblemen, and horsemen collectively: ‘The eleven kings with their chivalry never turned back’ wrote Thomas Malory (1405–71) in Le Morte D’Arthur (1485). Later it came to refer to the qualities associated with an ideal knight, especially courage, honour, loyalty, and courtesy.