Gallantry is brave conduct, or polite attention to women. An award for gallantry, acts of gallantry, old-fashioned gallantry.
The military sense is formal and official: gallantry medals are awarded for bravery, and the citations are written in a fixed register. The other sense is courtly attention from a man to a woman, which is now dated and reads as either charming or patronising by the reader. Note gallant; and that the French galant meant fashionable and merry.
1nounbraveBrave conduct.
“The soldier received a medal for gallantry after rescuing his wounded friends under fire.”
2noungallantryPolite attention to women.
“With old-fashioned gallantry, he stood up whenever a woman entered the room.”
gallantry is bravery or courtliness.
French galanterie comes from galant, from galer, to make merry. The word meant elegance and merriment before it meant either courage or courtship.
French
galanterie
English, today
gallantry
From French galanterie, equivalent to gallant + -ry.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA