# errant

/ˈɛɹənt/ (US) · /ˈɛɹənt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/errant
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. straying from a path

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

moving away from the correct path or position, like a ball that goes the wrong way.

For teachers: straying from the proper course or outside established limits; often used to describe physical objects that have gone off-course.

- An errant golf ball flew over the fence and landed in the neighbor's garden.
- The golfer watched in dismay as his errant shot sliced toward the parking lot, narrowly missing a row of parked cars.

Usage: Usually placed before the noun it modifies.

### 2. misbehaving

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

behaving badly or failing to follow the rules.

For teachers: failing to adhere to accepted standards or morals; misbehaving or delinquent.

- The teacher had to call the parents of the errant student.
- The board of directors decided to penalize the errant executive for his repeated violations of the company's ethical code.

### 3. wandering in search of adventure

adjective · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Literary

traveling around in search of adventure, especially a knight in old stories.

For teachers: roving or wandering in search of adventure; most commonly found in the fixed phrase 'knight-errant'.

- The book tells the story of a knight-errant traveling across the kingdom.
- Medieval romances often featured a knight-errant who wandered the countryside performing deeds of chivalry to prove his worth.

Usage: Frequently appears as part of the compound noun 'knight-errant'.

## Examples

- The knight was punished for his errant behavior.
- The judge dismissed the case because the evidence was based on an errant assumption about the defendant's whereabouts.
- The novel explores the consequences of an errant knight who, driven by personal ambition, violates the sacred oaths of his order and brings ruin to his kingdom.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.