Volant
adj.energetic, capableliterary
What it means
Quick, nimble, or capable of moving lightly.
Reach for it when giving rare literary praise to quick, light, nimble movement
The volant midfielder slipped neatly between two taller defenders.
Choose between these
5- playful
lively movement surprises for someone's age
not when Spry can sound patronizing toward an older person.
- everyday
graceful steps are the exact quality
not when Light-footed excludes flight and general quickness.
- warm
quick coordinated movement is admired
not when Nimble can also describe thought or business.
- professional
rapid controlled changes of direction matter
not when Agility is measurable and less airy.
- literary
speed and lightness create the image
not when Fleet is poetic and often limited to running.
Said against
3- ponderous
- clumsy
- grounded
It naturally appears in
3- volant movement
The dancer's volant movement made each leap appear unforced.
- volant athlete
A volant athlete slipped through the narrow defensive gap.
- volant form
The sculptor gave the bronze bird a volant form.
Where this comes from
Volant is rare outside heraldry and specialist contexts; nimble or flying will usually communicate faster.
- Wiktionary, English adjective, moving lightly or flying sense opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.