knight

knight
{{11}}knight (n.) O.E. cniht "boy, youth; servant, attendant," common West Germanic (Cf. O.Fris. kniucht, Du. knecht, M.H.G. kneht "boy, youth, lad," Ger. Knecht "servant, bondman, vassal"), of unknown origin. The plural in M.E. sometimes was knighten. Meaning "military follower of a king or other superior" is from c.1100. Began to be used in a specific military sense in Hundred Years War, and gradually rose in importance until it became a rank in the nobility 16c. The chess piece so called from mid-15c. Knight in shining armor in figurative sense is from 1917, from the man who rescues the damsel in distress in romantic dramas (perhaps especially "Lohengrin"). Knights of Columbus, society of Catholic men, founded 1882 in New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.; Knights of Labor, trade union association, founded in Philadelphia, 1869; Knights of Pythias, secret order, founded in Washington, 1864.
{{12}}knight (v.) "to make a knight of (someone)," early 13c., from KNIGHT (Cf. knight) (n.). Related: Knighted; knighting.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Knight — Knight, n. [OE. knight, cniht, knight, soldier, AS. cniht, cneoht, a boy, youth, attendant, military follower; akin to D. & G. knecht servant; perh. akin to E. kin.] 1. A young servant or follower; a military attendant. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] 2.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • knight — knight·age; knight; knight·ess; knight·ful·ly; knight·hood; knight·ia; knight·li·hood; knight·li·ness; knight·ling; rad·knight; rod·knight; knight·ly; Knight; …   English syllables

  • Knight XV — на Викискладе …   Википедия

  • knight|ly — «NYT lee», adjective, adverb. –adj. 1. of or like a knight; brave, generous, and courteous; chivalrous: »knightly courage. SYNONYM(S): noble. 2. belonging to or appropriate to a knight: »a knightly sword, knightly deeds. 3. consisting or composed …   Useful english dictionary

  • knight — ► NOUN 1) (in the Middle Ages) a man raised to honourable military rank after service as a page and squire. 2) (in the UK) a man awarded a non hereditary title by the sovereign and entitled to use ‘Sir’ in front of his name. 3) a chess piece,… …   English terms dictionary

  • Knight — Knight, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Knighted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Knighting}.] To dub or create (one) a knight; done in England by the sovereign only, who taps the kneeling candidate with a sword, saying: Rise, Sir . [1913 Webster] A soldier, by the honor …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Knight — [nait] der; s, s <aus engl. knight »Ritter«, dies aus mittelengl. knight »Knabe« (verwandt mit dt. Knecht)> die nicht erbliche, unterste Stufe des engl. Adels …   Das große Fremdwörterbuch

  • knight — [nīt] n. [ME kniht < OE cniht, boy, retainer, akin to Ger knecht, lad, servant < IE * gnegh : for base see KNEAD] 1. in the Middle Ages, a) a military servant of a king or other feudal superior; tenant holding land on condition that he… …   English World dictionary

  • Knight [1] — Knight (engl., spr. nait, vom angelsächs. cniht, »Knecht«), in England soviel wie Ritter. Das Wort findet sich seit dem 10. Jahrh., nachdem sich aus der frühern Gefolgschaft der angelsächsischen Könige ein erblicher Stand von Grundbesitzern… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Knight — (engl., spr. neit, das deutsche Wort Knecht), Ritter; die unterste und älteste Stufe der persönlichen Ritterwürde, die des Knight bachelor (spr. bättschĕlĕr), ist seit 1660 bloßer Titel mit dem Prädikat »Sir« …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • Knight [1] — Knight (engl., spr. Neiht), 1) der Knecht; 2) in England so v.w. Ritter, so K. Bachelours (spr. Neit Bätschelohrs), die unterste Stufe der versönlichen Ritterwürde; K. Bannerets (spr. Neit Bennerets), Bannerherr, eine Würde, welche eigentlich nur …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

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