Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • A legendary knight of King Arthur's court: Sir Lancelot is a central figure in Arthurian legend, renowned as one of the most skilled and chivalrous knights of the Round Table. He is famously known as the friend of King Arthur who, in many versions of the legend, becomes the lover of Arthur's queen, Guinevere.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:
  • In the story, Sir Lancelot is celebrated for his bravery and martial prowess.
  • The tale of Sir Lancelot and Queen Guinevere is a classic story of courtly love and betrayal.

Advanced Usage

• "The Lancelot-Grail cycle": Refers to a major group of Old French prose romances that tell the story of the quest for the Holy Grail, in which Lancelot is a key figure.

  • The Lancelot-Grail cycle was highly influential in shaping later Arthurian literature.

• "A Lancelot figure": Used to describe a character in a story who is a supremely skilled but tragically flawed hero, often torn between duty and passion.

  • The protagonist in the modern novel is a Lancelot figure, a brilliant soldier caught in a forbidden love affair.

Variants and Related Words

• Lancelot du Lac (Proper noun): A common epithet for Sir Lancelot, meaning "Lancelot of the Lake," referring to his upbringing by the Lady of the Lake.

  • The French romances often refer to the knight as Lancelot du Lac.

• Lancelotic (Adjective, rare): Pertaining to or characteristic of Sir Lancelot.

  • The knight's Lancelotic devotion to his lady was both his strength and his downfall.

Synonyms

• The Knight of the Cart: An epithet for Lancelot from a famous episode where he rides in a cart to rescue Guinevere.
• The First Knight: A term sometimes used to denote his preeminent status among the Round Table knights.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "A Lancelot complex": A modern, informal term describing a man who feels compelled to rescue women or act as a chivalrous protector, often with romantic implications.
  • He has a bit of a Lancelot complex, always trying to save every damsel in distress he meets.

Noun

1. (Arthurian legend) one of the knights of the Round Table; friend of King Arthur until (according to some versions of the legend) he became the lover of Arthur's wife Guinevere