knight
English meaning: Knight
Definition
A young servant or follower; a trained military attendant in service of a lord.
Example
“The knight knelt before the king to receive his sword.”
Another example: “In chess, the knight is the only piece that can jump over others.”
Usage — When, Where & How
Mostly historical or used in chess and the British honours system; in everyday speech it refers to a man granted the rank by a monarch (titled 'Sir'). Outside titles and chess it is largely literary or archaic.
Etymology & Origin
English — Origin & History
From Old English 'cniht' meaning 'boy, servant, attendant', shifting to its mounted-warrior sense in the medieval period (before the 12th century).
Synonyms
- cavalier
- horseman
- paladin
- chevalier
Related Words
- kcmg
- garter
- pips
- gawain
- fleece
- templar
- rook
- bath
- pawn
- honours
Common Collocations
- knight in shining armour
- medieval knight
- knight of the realm
- knighted by the queen
- white knight
Word Forms
knight (n); knights; knight (v, to knight); knighted; knighthood (n)
Word Tools
Literary Heritage
“To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.”
/To thine own self be true/
“Be honest with yourself — and as naturally as night follows day, you will be unable to be false to others.”
“I'm nobody! Who are you? Are you nobody, too?”
/I'm nobody! Who are you?/
“I am nobody — and that quiet anonymity is more honest than the noise of public fame.”
Images
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Language information
- Language
- English
- English
- Script
- Latin
- Family
- Indo-European
- Speakers
- 1.5B