knight etymology

Etymology:

• Middle English: knyght, from Old English: cniht
• Proto-West Germanic: *knehtaz

Meaning:

• A person who has been granted a knighthood or who belongs to the class of knights.
• A man who demonstrates chivalrous qualities, such as bravery, loyalty, and courtesy.
• A piece in the game of chess that can move two squares in any direction (forward, backward, or sideways).

Origin:

The word "knight" has its origins in the Proto-Germanic word knehtaz, which meant "boy" or "young man." In medieval Europe, young men who aspired to become knights were often trained as pages or squires, serving under more experienced knights.

When a young man had proven himself worthy, he would undergo a ceremony called dubbing, where a knight would tap him on the shoulder with a sword and declare him a knight. From that point forward, the young man was expected to uphold the ideals of chivalry, which included fighting bravely, defending the weak, and behaving honorably.

Over time, the definition of "knight" expanded to include not only men who had received an official knighthood but also any man who possessed chivalrous qualities. In the modern world, the term "knight" is often used to describe someone who demonstrates exceptional bravery, integrity, or kindness.

knight relate terms

• errant

  Etymology Errant originates from the Middle English term errand which itself derive

• knighthood

  Etymology Old English cniht boy servant hād state condition Meaning The

• knight

  Etymology Middle English knyght from Old English cniht Proto West Germanic knehtaz

• horse

  Etymology The word horse is derived from the Proto Indo European PIE root h₃éḱ

• chevalier

  Etymology The word chevalier comes from the Old French word chevalier which in turn

• squire

  Etymology The word squire comes from the Old French word escuier which in turn deri

• cavalier

  Etymology Medieval Latin caballarius meaning horseman or knight Latin caballus

• equestrian

  Etymology The word equestrian is derived from the Latin word equester which means h

• chivalrous

  Etymology Middle English chivalrous Old French chevalereux Late Latin caballarius h

• Templar

  Etymology The term Templar derives from the Latin word templum meaning temple Th

• entitle

  Etymology French entituler to entitle Latin intitulare to inscribe with a title

• gentle

  Etymology Middle English gentyl from Anglo French gentil from Latin gentilis from gen