errant
Americanadjective
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deviating from the regular or proper course; erring; straying.
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journeying or traveling, as a medieval knight in quest of adventure; roving adventurously.
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moving in an aimless or lightly changing manner.
an errant breeze.
adjective
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archaic wandering in search of adventure
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erring or straying from the right course or accepted standards
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of errant
1300–50; Middle English erraunt < Middle French, Old French errant, present participle of errer, edrer to travel < Vulgar Latin *iterāre to journey, for Late Latin itinerārī, derivative of iter, stem itiner- journey ( see itinerary); confused with Middle French errant, present participle of errer to err
Explanation
Something or someone described as errant has gone astray or done wrong by going in an unexpected direction. An errant bird might end up in northern Canada while his friends fly to southern Mexico for the winter. Although errant is commonly used as a synonym for "misbehaving" or "naughty," it also refers to things that are just out of place. An errant bomb can hit a house instead of an army base, and an errant lock of hair can get in your eyes. Errant can be intentional, as in "the errant boys skipped school to go to the movies," or unintentional, as in "an errant snowball hit your neighbor instead of your arch enemy."
Vocabulary lists containing errant
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Grade 12, List 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
When errant, injured, or wildfire-hurt bears or mountain lions wander into Tahoe communities, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife rescues the animals and determines if they can be released back into the wild.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 1, 2026
In the sixth, Teoscar Hernández tacked on two more runs with an opposite-field home run after an errant sinker from Kochanowicz.
From Los Angeles Times • May 16, 2026
Excuse them, like they popped out of his mouth like an errant burp.
From Slate • May 6, 2026
Up ahead, Schauffele set the clubhouse target at 11 under, while MacIntyre was left to rue an errant shot on the 16th.
From BBC • Mar. 15, 2026
“Zen ze errant brain is introduced to ze left nostril, at vich time it is zucked in to fill ze void. All zimple physics.”
From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
