'alaunt' originates from Old French, specifically the word 'alant', where 'al-' meant 'to' and '-ant' was a suffix used for nouns.

'alant' transformed into the Middle English word 'alaunt', and eventually became the modern English word 'alaunt'.

Initially, it referred to a specific breed of dog used for hunting, but over time it became a historical term for any large hunting dog.