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• knight
  knight

  noun

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

  noun

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

knight

¹ American  

[nahyt] / naɪt /

noun

• knights
  plural

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)

• knights,
  present (3rd person singular)
• knighted,
  past participle,  past
• knighting
  present participle

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. 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

Derived Forms

• knightless
  adjective
• unknighted
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• knights
  plural

Participles

• knighting
  present
• knighted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• knight
  simple
• knights
  simple
• have knighted
  perfect
• has knighted
  perfect
• am knighting
  progressive
• are knighting
  progressive
• is knighting
  progressive
• have been knighting
  perfect progressive
• has been knighting
  perfect progressive

Past

• knighted
  simple
• had knighted
  perfect
• was knighting
  progressive
• were knighting
  progressive
• had been knighting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will knight
  simple
• will have knighted
  perfect
• will be knighting
  progressive
• will have been knighting
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of knight

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

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Explanation

Traditionally the noun knight means someone born of the nobility and trained to fight, usually in heavy metal armor. If a king decides to knight you, that means the king wants to make you into a knight. Real life knights haven’t been around since the Middle Ages, which ended around 600 years ago. These days knight is an honorary title awarded by nations with royal families like the UK. These nations will knight anyone they think is deserving from a rock star to a politician. More casually, you can use knight to describe anyone who acts chivalrously, or bravely. If you are rescued from a burning building, you might call your rescuer, a "knight in shining armor."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

knight Knight knights knighted knighting

“If I move my knight here, my opponent will move their rook here, and then I’ll have to…” This is an invaluable skill for life.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026

But in June 2025, Sir Billy Boston became a rugby league knight - the first in the sport's 130-year history.

From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026

Once considered a canny innovator, and then, with his purchase of the flailing Washington Post, a white knight, he has since become the embodiment of capitalism run amok.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 5, 2026

But as the knight in “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” warned, we should “choose wisely.”

From Salon ● May 1, 2026

The young knight witch smirked and settled into her chair.

From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova

“Investors should periodically review concentrated positions starting at around 5% to make sure their portfolio remains aligned with their goals, risk tolerance and long-term financial plan,” Knight said.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 27, 2026

“One belief I’ve developed over my 20-plus years in the industry is this: Fear is an emotion. Risk is a reality. Discipline is a choice,” Knight said.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 27, 2026

"It is a very specific place," said Knight, who lives in the Pacific Northwest city.

From Barron's ● Oct. 25, 2026

But it’s clear from the level of artistry on display here that the company, led by producer-director Travis Knight, has steadily advanced in technology, innovation and ambition.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026

Ern slammed on the brakes and the Knight Bus skidded to a halt in front of a small and shabby-looking pub, the Leaky Cauldron, behind which lay the magical entrance to Diagon Alley.

From "Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban" by J.K. Rowling

A year later, the two knights took their talents to Broadway, alternating performances of Waiting for Godot with Harold Pinter's No Man's Land.

From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026

So now we await the further tussle of the embattled knights, Sir Keir Starmer and Sir Olly Robbins, potentially one day after another in parliament in a few days time.

From BBC ● Apr. 17, 2026

There’s a large and varied field to choose from, even if there are no celebrities or white knights riding to the rescue.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 21, 2026

If there were an unofficial tagline that describes it best, it is that all men are knights, and all men are fools.

From Salon ● Jan. 17, 2026

From the tents came the snoring of knights and foot soldiers.

From "The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge" by M.T. Anderson and Eugene Yelchin

He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2010.

From Salon ● Oct. 29, 2026

In 1911, Casement was knighted by King George V for his humanitarian work - which took him from central Africa to some of the poorest parts of South America.

From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026

Now 50 years old, he lives and works in England, where he was born, raised and knighted, and the distance between Sir Demis Hassabis and Silicon Valley gives him a different perspective altogether.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026

Sobers, who also played county cricket for Nottinghamshire, was knighted for his services to cricket in 1975.

From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026

He was the eldest son, so be was bound to be knighted but he would not call himself Sir Lancelot.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White

Highlights include Podrick singing "Jenny of Oldstones," Sansa reuniting with Theon, and of course, Jaime knighting Brienne.

From Salon ● Aug. 17, 2022

As she wrapped “The Northman,” Eggers gave her a sword, knighting her with it as he presented it.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2021

With many outgoing prime ministers in their final days often rewarding or knighting members of their loyal staff, perhaps a chance to repair the relationship still remains.

From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2019

Yes, he was very sweet to Brienne, especially in that impromptu knighting ceremony, and yes, it was nice to see the Lannister brothers make up after letting Cersei come between them one too many times.

From Slate ● Apr. 22, 2019

The knighting took place in a whirl of preparations.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White

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