knighthood
Americannoun
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knighthoods
plural
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the rank or dignity of a knight.
to confer knighthood upon him.
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the profession or vocation of a knight.
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knightly character or qualities.
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the body of knights.
noun
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the order, dignity, or rank of a knight
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the qualities of a knight; knightliness
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knights collectively
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of knighthood
before 900; Middle English knighthod, Old English cnihthād. See knight, -hood
Explanation
Knighthood is an official title given to British men who have performed some kind of extraordinary service. When someone receives a knighthood, they're formally addressed as "Sir." The state of being a knight is knighthood, and the title itself is also known as a knighthood. Elton John, Sean Connery, and Charlie Chaplin are among the famous performers who have received knighthoods from Queen Elizabeth. Back in the Middle Ages, a knighthood could only be earned through heroism on the battlefield or by working as an knight's apprentice for years. The Old English source of knighthood was cnihthad, "the period between childhood and manhood."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The inventor James Dyson has a winery, a knighthood, an English country pile, and an estimated net worth of more than $15 billion.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026
Also a knighthood and a castle and certainly social status that ensures he won’t be treated like scum.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
The Mail also highlights an article on what it describes as the "plot" to get David Beckham his "knighthood".
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
Neill accepted a knighthood from New Zealand in 2022, after previously having rejected one when titular honours were reintroduced by the New Zealand government in 2009.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
Yet it seemed like only yesterday that he had been raised to knighthood, after the tourney at King’s Landing.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
A cross-party group of MPs had claimed the lack of knighthoods a "scandal" linked to snobbery and class prejudice.
From BBC ● Jun. 9, 2025
The move follows growing frustration over the lack of rugby league knighthoods or damehoods, with a group of cross-party MPs suggesting the lack of top honours was linked to snobbery.
From BBC ● Jun. 9, 2025
In contrast, rugby union, often seen as having more middle class roots, has been getting knighthoods for more than 100 years.
From BBC ● May 30, 2025
There have been many other sporting knighthoods and damehoods, including in athletics, yachting, football, golf, tennis, horse racing, cycling and rowing.
From BBC ● May 30, 2025
He will help you place the other boys with noble lords, where they can serve as pages and squires and win their knighthoods.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
