a mounted soldier serving under a feudal superior in the Middle Ages.
(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.
any person of a rank similar to that of the medieval knight.
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.
a member of any order or association that designates its members as knights.
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.
Nautical.
a short vertical timber having on its head a sheave through which running rigging is rove.
any other fitting or erection bearing such a sheave.
Eric, 1897–1943, U.S. novelist, born in England.
Frank Hyneman 1885–1972, U.S. economist.
(originally) a person who served his lord as a mounted and heavily armed soldier
(later) a gentleman invested by a king or other lord with the military and social standing of this rank
(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
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
a heroic champion of a lady or of a cause or principle
a member of the Roman class of the equites
Over the centuries, knighthood gradually lost its military functions, but it has survived as a social distinction in Europe, especially in England.
before 900; Middle English; Old English cniht boy, manservant; cognate with German, Dutch knecht servant
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."
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
His highest honour yet came on Tuesday, when the 48-year-old became a knight of the National Order of the Leopard.
From BBC ● Jun. 5, 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
“He was like a knight in shining armor,” says Megan Snyders, 33, a British children’s book illustrator who watched Manguillier search for her friend Olivia Tysoe’s engagement ring.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 24, 2026
The first part references Galahad, a knight known for his upright and noble character, reflecting the animal's upright posture.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 21, 2026
“The knight is here,” the woman in black hissed.
From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley
“Saar’s assemblage doesn’t just describe history,” wrote former Times art critic Christopher Knight of her work in 2019, “it embodies a visceral connection to it.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
Knight created a spreadsheet that lets her friends weigh in via a “friends feedback” tab.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
The follow up, “The Dark Knight Rises,” also passed a billion worldwide.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
Knight replaced the legendary Charlotte Edwards as captain in 2016, two years after England's first central contracts were introduced, and was tasked with leading the side through the transition from amateur to professional.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
We ’ad ’im ’ere on the Knight Bus, di’n’t we, Ern?
From "Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban" by J.K. Rowling
Armies stopped relying on knights in armor when they came up against gunpowder weapons.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
"It was brought there by three knights who left there in the 12th Century."
From BBC ● Jan. 31, 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
The researchers draw parallels to human military history, where heavily armored knights were eventually replaced by specialized soldiers such as archers and crossbowmen.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 22, 2025
Madoc gives me puzzles—twelve goblin knights to storm a fortress, nine untrained Gentry to defend one—and then asks for my answers each evening after dinner.
From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black
You’ve been knighted by the king of Spain!
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 12, 2026
Labour MP Jessica Morden is made a dame for her political service and former Tory MP Greg Hands is knighted for the same reason.
From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026
Beckham, who was knighted by Britain's King Charles III last year, also ventured into the entertainment industry, co-founding the content production company Studio 99 in 2019.
From Barron's ● Jun. 2, 2026
The 51-year-old, who was knighted in November, is also a brand ambassador for companies such as Adidas and Hugo Boss.
From BBC ● May 15, 2026
“Tomorrow my pupil Kay will be knighted, and the next week my other pupil will go away as his squire. I have outlived my usefulness here, and it is time to go.”
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
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
A mere two weeks after her triumphant knighting, Brienne ended the episode wailing over a man while wearing a nightgown – one of the only times we’ve seen her out of her armour.
From The Guardian ● May 8, 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
“You could write about dragons too,” Tony said, now knighting a small boxwood bush.
From "Stella by Starlight" by Sharon M. Draper
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.
