Cavalier

Cavalier (from Lat. caballus, a horse) formerly denoted simply a horseman; then, as riding became almost the privilege of the upper classes, it denoted a knight, and later a gentleman. The adherents of Charles I. called themselves cavaliers. In some connections the word is absurdly used, but not in good English, to denote anyone in attendance upon a lady, especially in dancing. The word is still used by the French in its original sense. It was formerly used in fortification to denote an inner defence that overtopped and overlooked the outer works.