Knight

¹ 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 ² 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 ¹ 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 ² 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 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

He was made a Commander of the British Empire in 2002 and knighted in 2015 for his public service, "particularly to the Church of England".

From BBC

The items reportedly also include documents from the Teutonic Order -- a Catholic brotherhood of crusading knights active in the Middle Ages.

From Barron's

Sir Tom received many honours and accolades throughout his career, including being knighted by the late Queen for his services to literature in 1997.

From BBC

He was even knighted in 1997 by Queen Elizabeth II for his contributions to theater.

From Los Angeles Times

Queen Elizabeth II knighted Stoppard in 1997 and awarded him the Order of Merit in 2000 for his services to drama.

From The Wall Street Journal