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chevalier

French
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A knight or gentleman, especially in a courtly or romantic sense. Hopkins uses it as a title of honor for the falcon.

Detailed Definition
This French word carries medieval and chivalric overtones, so it suits Hopkins's habit of treating the bird like a noble warrior. In context, it adds elegance and ceremony to the address. Readers may recognize it vaguely but still need identification.
Example
Example in poetry:
“O my chevalier!” uses the French title for a knight or gallant gentleman; The chevalier bows beneath a borrowed moon; In courtly verse, chevalier suggests honor and romance; Her chevalier is a bicycle courier in a silver helmet
Additional Notes
The quoted address uses the French word "chevalier," which is not everyday English for many readers.; Found in the poem, The Windhover by Gerard Manley Hopkins
Also Known As
knight nobleman gallant warrior
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