Lancelot

2 ENTRIES FOUND:

Lancelot

One of the greatest knights in Arthurian legend, the lover of Guinevere and the father of Galahad. He first appeared in a 12th-century romance by Chrétien de Troyes, and he is a major character in Sir Thomas Malory's Morte Darthur. His full name, Sir Lancelot du Lac, refers to his upbringing by the Lady of the Lake, the enchantress who carried him off in infancy and trained him to be a model of chivalry before sending him to Arthur's court. There he became the favorite of King Arthur and the lover of Queen Guinevere. His adultery with Guinevere caused him to fail in the quest for the grail and set in motion the events that led to the destruction of Camelot. He was displaced as the model knight by Galahad, his son by the grailkeeper's daughter Elaine.

Variants of LANCELOT

Lancelot or Launcelot

This entry comes from Encyclopædia Britannica Concise.
For the full entry on Lancelot, visit Britannica.com.

Seen & Heard

What made you look up Lancelot? Please tell us what you were reading, watching or discussing that led you here.

Test Your Vocabulary

Take Our 10-Question Quiz

#6: Flabbergast
: to overwhelm with shock,
surprise, or wonder
See All Top 25 Entries »
Get Our Free Apps
Voice Search, Favorites,
Word of the Day, and More
Join Us on FB & Twitter
Get the Word of the Day and More