volant

[voh-luh nt] /ˈvoʊ lənt/
adjective
1.
engaged in or having the power of flight.
2.
moving lightly; nimble.
noun
3.
Also called volant piece. Armor. a reinforcing piece for the brow of a helmet.
Origin
1500-10; < French, present participle of voler to fly < Latin volāre; see -ant
Related forms
nonvolant, adjective
Examples from the web for volant
  • Genetic tests of rapid parallel speciation of flightless birds from an extant volant ancestor.
  • Both similarities and differences exist between subpopulations of cutaneous nerves in the emu and volant birds.
  • The presence of a pit lake with poor water quality is a concern for all terrestrial and volant wildlife in the vicinity.
British Dictionary definitions for volant

volant

/ˈvəʊlənt/
adjective
1.
(usually postpositive) (heraldry) in a flying position
2.
(rare) flying or capable of flight
3.
(poetic) moving lightly or agilely; nimble
Word Origin
C16: from French: flying, from voler to fly, from Latin volāre
Word Origin and History for volant
adj.

"flying," c.1500, from Middle French, from Latin volantem (nominative volans), present participle of volare "to fly," of unknown origin. French voler, literally "to fly," in 16c. acquired a sense of "to steal," via the transitive meaning "to make fly."