Valiants

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Showing great courage or determination in the face of danger or adversity
2. Demonstrating bravery and boldness in challenging situations
3. Acting fearlessly and heroically in pursuit of a noble cause or goal

Etymology: "Valiants" is simply the plural of "valiant" used as a noun, so the real story is that of the adjective. It comes from Old French "vailant" and "vaillant," meaning brave or valuable, which was the present participle of "valoir," "to be worth." Latin "valēre," meaning to have value, to be strong, or to have power, sits behind that verb. The sense of worth and strength came first, and courage followed from it: to be valiant was to be a person of real value in a fight. Middle English took the word in the form "vailaunt," which carried a remarkably broad range of meanings. It could describe someone strong or powerful, something excellent or useful, or even something legally valid and binding. Courage was only one of these senses. The noun use, meaning a person of valour or strength, reflects the older idea of a person who counts for something.

Synonyms: heroes, champions, warriors, braves, fighters

Antonyms: cowards, weaklings, defectors, traitors, cravens