ritter

¹ American  

[rit-er] / ˈrɪt ər /

noun

plural

ritter, ritters

1. a knight.

2. a member of the lowest order of nobility in Germany or Austria.

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Ritter ² American  

[rit-er] / ˈrɪt ər /

noun

1. Joseph Elmer, 1891–1967, U.S. cardinal.

2. Woodward Maurice Tex, 1907–74, U.S. country-and-western singer, composer, and film actor.

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Etymology

Origin of ritter

1815–25; < German; Middle High German riter rider

Example Sentences

The old man hears, and with a sigh wishes back the day when gentlemen shouted "Heyā, ritter, wis et fro!" in the tourneys, instead of these new cries of riotry and pillage.

From Studies in Medi?val Life and Literature by McLaughlin, Edward Tompkins

Dō brāhte man die vrouwen     dā si in ligen vant. si huop sīn schœne houbet     mit ir vil wīȥen hant; dō kuste s’ alsō tōten     den edelen ritter guot.

From A Middle High German Primer Third Edition by Wright, Joseph

He says, "German ritter, a rider, i.e. a trooper," and quotes from Halliwell, "rutter, a rider, a trooper, from the German; a name given to mercenary soldiers engaged from Brabant, etc."

From The Romance of Names by Weekley, Ernest