knight

¹ American  

[nahyt] / naɪt /

noun

1. a mounted soldier serving under a feudal superior in the Middle Ages.

2. (in Europe in the Middle Ages) a man, usually of noble birth, who after an apprenticeship as page and squire was raised to honorable military rank and bound to chivalrous conduct.

3. any person of a rank similar to that of the medieval knight.

4. a man upon whom the nonhereditary dignity of knighthood is conferred by a sovereign because of personal merit or for services rendered to the country. In Great Britain he holds the rank next below that of a baronet, and the title Sir is prefixed to the Christian name, as in Sir John Smith.

5. a member of any order or association that designates its members as knights.

6. Chess. a piece shaped like a horse's head, moved one square vertically and then two squares horizontally or one square horizontally and two squares vertically.

7. Nautical.

   1. a short vertical timber having on its head a sheave through which running rigging is rove.

   2. any other fitting or erection bearing such a sheave.

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verb (used with object)

1. to dub or make (a man) a knight.

Knight ² American  

[nahyt] / naɪt /

noun

1. Eric, 1897–1943, U.S. novelist, born in England.

2. Frank Hyneman 1885–1972, U.S. economist.

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Knight ¹ British  

/ naɪt /

noun

1. Dame Laura. 1887–1970, British painter, noted for her paintings of Gypsies, the ballet, and the circus

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knight ² British  

/ naɪt /

noun

1. 1. (originally) a person who served his lord as a mounted and heavily armed soldier

   2. (later) a gentleman invested by a king or other lord with the military and social standing of this rank

2. (in modern times) a person invested by a sovereign with a nonhereditary rank and dignity usually in recognition of personal services, achievements, etc. A British knight bears the title Sir placed before his name, as in Sir Winston Churchill

3. a chess piece, usually shaped like a horse's head, that moves either two squares horizontally and one square vertically or one square horizontally and two squares vertically

4. a heroic champion of a lady or of a cause or principle

5. a member of the Roman class of the equites

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verb

1. (tr) to make (a person) a knight; dub

knight Cultural  

1. A mounted warrior in Europe in the Middle Ages. (See chivalry.)

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Discover More

Over the centuries, knighthood gradually lost its military functions, but it has survived as a social distinction in Europe, especially in England.

Other Word Forms

• knightless adjective
• unknighted adjective

Etymology

Origin of knight

before 900; Middle English; Old English cniht boy, manservant; cognate with German, Dutch knecht servant

Example Sentences

"In life, these folks -- benefactors, knights, and clergy -- were also likely able to use their wealth to secure closer proximity to divinity, such as having a pew closer to the front of the church."

From Science Daily

For nearly a century, the Oscar statuette has been Hollywood’s most enduring symbol of success, a gold-plated knight gripping a crusader’s sword, designed to look as permanent as the honor it represents.

From Los Angeles Times

Mero, in collaboration with fellow street artist Wild Life, has turned the blighted space into a fantastical haven with a knight, a dragon and more — a decaying castle from a bygone era.

From Los Angeles Times

A long table sits at its center, flanked by a knight, a digital fireplace and weaponry.

From Los Angeles Times

The vow of a knight does not say to “defend the weak and innocent . . . especially if you have a crush on them.”

From Salon