Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

cavort

/kəˈvɔɹt/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.72 in modern English

Syllables: ca-vort
IPA: /kəˈvɔɹt/

11

Scrabble Score

6

Letters

2

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To prance, frolic, gambol.

verb

To move about carelessly, playfully or boisterously.

Intransitive verb

verb

To engage in extravagant pursuits, especially of a sexual nature.

Informal

Example Sentences

"[…] when the young man whirled his horse, “hazed” Jupiter in circles and belaboured him with a rawhide quirt, […] He ceased his cavortings […]"
"And dragon-flies sported around and cavorted, / As poets say dragon-flies ought to do; […]"
"He whirligigged and pirouetted, dancing and cavorting round like an inebriated ape."
"[…]and soon a high-spirited snowball fight was being waged by dozens of happy, hyperkinetic boys cavorting in dungarees and T-shirts, in sweatsuits, in pajamas, even some in only underwear."
"They descended by the tens of thousands on Britain’s southern beaches and jammed into city parks. They cavorted by the hundreds in streams."
"[…] while a woman in a bright red coat cavorts through a crosswalk with what appears to be an impeccably groomed Afghan hound."

Etymology

Originated in the United States in 1793, as cauvaut, applying to horses, probably from the colloquial intensifying prefix ca-/ka- + vault (“jump, leap”); later generalized. Early sources connect it to cavault, a term for a certain demeanor of horses. Alternatively, a variation of curvet.

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /kəˈvɔɹt/
British English: /kəˈvɔːt/

Usage

Inflected Forms

cavorts (present, singular) cavorting (participle, present) cavorted (participle, past) cavorted (past)

Derived Forms

cavorter cavortingly

Phrases

horse around

Frequently Paired Words

horse around

Synonyms

romp frolic prance caper lark rollick skylark disport sport gambol frisk run around

Rhymes With

support court short report sort port sport transport fort resort ct import

Questions

How do you pronounce cavort?: The recorded pronunciation is /kəˈvɔɹt/.
What does cavort mean?: To prance, frolic, gambol.
Where does cavort come from?: Originated in the United States in 1793, as cauvaut, applying to horses, probably from the colloquial intensifying prefix ca-/ka- + vault (“jump, leap”); later generalized. Early sources connect it to cavault, a term for a certain demeanor of horses. Alternatively, a variation of curvet.

How to pronounce cavort

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “cavort”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/kəˈvɔɹt/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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