varlet

• Nom avec deux sens historiques : premier, un vaurien ou un scélérat trompeur et déloyal ; deuxième, au Moyen Âge, un jeune homme servant d'écuyer à un chevalier comme première étape de l'apprentissage de la chevalerie.

A noun with two historical meanings: first, a deceitful and unreliable scoundrel; second, in medieval times, a youth who served as a knight's attendant as the initial stage of training for knighthood.

1. Deceitful personC2formalbritish

   A dishonest and untrustworthy scoundrel.

   Scélérat, fourbe

   • The king called the traitor a varlet and banished him.
   • Only a varlet would break such a sacred oath.
   • The townspeople knew him as a lying varlet.

   Synonymesblackguardknavemiscreantrapscallionrascalroguescoundrelvillain

2. C2formalbritish

   In medieval times, a young man serving as a knight's attendant, the first stage of training for knighthood.

   Écuyer (apprenti chevalier)

   • The varlet polished his master's armor before the tournament.
   • As a varlet, he learned the basics of swordsmanship and chivalry.
   • The young varlet dreamed of becoming a knight himself one day.

   Synonymesattendantesquirepagesquirevalet