Errant

1. Straying from the proper course or standard, or outside established limits.
2. Wandering; roving around.
3. Prone to making errors; misbehaved.
4. (proscribed) Utter, complete (negative); arrant.

Usage notes

Sometimes arrant (“utter, complete”) is considered simply an alternative spelling and pronunciation of errant, though most authorities distinguish them, reserving errantto mean “wandering” and using it after the noun it modifies, notably in “knight errant”, while using arrant to mean “utter”, in a negative sense, and before the noun it modifies, notably in “arrant knaves”.

Etymologically, arrant arose as a variant of errant, but the meanings have long since diverged. Both terms are primarily used in set phrases (which may be considered cliché), and are easily confused, and on that basis some authorities suggest against using either.

SynonymsEdit

• (utter, complete): arrant (generally distinguished; see usage)