chalant

A notional opposite and coincidentally accurate back-formation from nonchalant, itself from Old French non- + chalant (“concerning, bothering”), but interpreting non- as later English non-.

chalant (comparative more chalant, superlative most chalant)

1. (nonce word, humorous) Not nonchalant; careful, attentive, or concerned.
   • 2001, Gill Sanderson, A Full Recovery, page 20:

     'I draw the line at nonchalant. Sometimes I think you're very chalant.'

   • 2008, Golf Jokes and Anecdotes from Around the World, page 28:

     Nonchalant putts count the same as chalant putts.

   • 2011, Sarah Schrank, Art and the City:

     Lawrence Lipton responded, "The lady is quite right, of course. It's sinful to be nonchalant. We shall endeavor to be more chalant in the future."

• Chantal, canthal

From Old French chalant, the present participle of chaloir.

• IPA^(key): /ʃa.lɑ̃/

chalant m (plural chalants, feminine chalante)

1. (now rare) Alternative form of chaland
   • 1704, Giorgio Maria Rapparini, Lignes au point, ou Lumieres nouvelles pour montrer le grand chemin de la Vérité aux égarez de l’Église, Cologne, page 251:

     Il falloit absolument en ouvrant sa boutique en uset avec plus de ruse pour attirer des Chalants en grand nombre, & debiter les nippes à bon marché.

     (please add an English translation of this quote)

chalant

1. third-person plural present active indicative of chalō

chalant

1. present participle of chaloir

• French: chaland