knight-errant

[ nahyt-er-uhnt ]

noun

, plural knights-er·rant.

1. a wandering knight; a knight who traveled widely in search of adventures, to exhibit military skill, to engage in chivalric deeds, etc.

knight errant

noun

1. (esp in medieval romance) a knight who wanders in search of deeds of courage, chivalry, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of knight-errant¹

Middle English word dating back to 1300–50

Example Sentences

For two days he had faced death, fighting like a legionary or a knight-errant, and in short playing the hero.

From Project Gutenberg

He ought to have been born six or seven hundred years ago, he would have made a delightful knight-errant.

From Project Gutenberg

As I live his horse is a mule—what a pity it was not some knight-errant!

From Project Gutenberg

What can be more beautiful than a knight-errant's life, when he has good weapons, and more common sense than Don Quixote had?

From Project Gutenberg

I had already become a redresser of grievances; there only wanted a lady in the way to be a knight-errant in form.

From Project Gutenberg