volant

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.

adjective

1. (usually postpositive) heraldry in a flying position
2. rare flying or capable of flight
3. poetic moving lightly or agilely; nimble

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.”