knightly

American  

[nahyt-lee] / ˈnaɪt li /

adjective

1. characteristic of a knight; noble, courageous, and generous.

   knightly deeds.

2. being or resembling a knight.

3. of or belonging to a knight.

   knightly duties.

4. composed of knights.

---

adverb

1. in a manner befitting a knight.

knightly British  

/ ˈnaɪtlɪ /

adjective

1. of, relating to, resembling, or befitting a knight

---

Other Word Forms

• knightliness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of knightly

before 1000; Middle English; Old English cnihtlīc. See knight, -ly

Example Sentences

James Knightly, chief international economist at ING, said the beige book “suggests there has been a slight loss of momentum in activity over the past eight weeks.”

From MarketWatch • Oct. 15, 2025

Mr Knightly said the UK was hit by around 30 to 35 tornadoes a year, but he said there was no indication they were on the increase.

From BBC • Oct. 24, 2022

But, he added, the real Ching Shih would have vamped Kiera Knightly off the screen and stuffed Johnny Depp through the nearest hole without breaking a sweat.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 16, 2022

Knightly was described by friends as "a fixture of Portland's protest movement."

From Salon • Feb. 23, 2022

Knightly exercise was as much an art as cricket is, and perhaps the only way in which Lancelot did not resemble Bradman was that he was more graceful.

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