chevalier de la manchette

French

Etymology

Literally, “knight of the cuff”.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃə.va.lje d(ə) la mɑ̃.ʃɛt/

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Noun

chevalier de la manchette m (plural chevaliers de la manchette)

1. (dated, slang, euphemistic) gay man, homosexual man

   Synonym: chevalier de la rosette

   • c. 1765, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Les Confessions, volume 1, published 1889, book II, pages 64–65:

     Cette aventure me mit pour l’avenir à couvert des entreprises des chevaliers de la manchette ; et la vue des gens qui passaient pour en être me rappelant l’air et les gestes de mon effroyable More, m’a toujours inspiré tant d’horreur, que j’avais peine à la cacher.

     This adventure assured me for the future against the attempts of the "Knights of the Cuff"; and the sight of people who were supposed to belong to their order, by recalling to my mind the appearance and gestures of my frightful Moor, always inspired me with such horror, that I had difficulty in concealing it.