From Latin 'caballus' (horse) — the informal word that displaced 'equus' and gave all Romance languages their horse word.
Soldiers who fight on horseback; in modern usage, troops who fight from armored vehicles; a rescuing force that arrives decisively.
From French 'cavalerie,' from Italian 'cavalleria' (mounted soldiers, horsemanship, knighthood), from 'cavaliere' (horseman, knight), from Late Latin 'caballārius' (horseman), from Latin 'caballus' (horse, especially a work horse or pack horse). Latin 'caballus' replaced the classical 'equus' in Vulgar Latin and is the source of French 'cheval,' Spanish 'caballo,' and Italian 'cavallo.' The ultimate origin of 'caballus' is uncertain — possibly Gaulish or another Celtic language. Key roots: caballus (Latin: "horse
Cavalry and chivalry come from the same Latin word — 'caballus' (horse) — but traveled through different languages. 'Cavalry' came through Italian, while 'chivalry' came through French 'chevalerie.' The classical Latin word for horse was 'equus' (which gave English 'equestrian'), but the vulgar, informal 'caballus' won out in every Romance language. It is as if the