knight

knight — noun

1. In Britain and some other countries, a man who receives a special honour from th

1.nounB2
Definition

In Britain and some other countries, a man who receives a special honour from the king or queen, giving him the right to put the title 'Sir' in front of his first name. This honour is given for outstanding work in areas such as science, art, or public service.

Example

Sir Nicholas became a knight after thirty years of service to medical research.

collocation: become a knight + service to [field]

After founding a global charity for clean water, Julia was made a knight on the queen's official birthday list.

passive: be made a knight + for founding [charity]

Common collocations
  • honorary knight
  • knight of the realm
  • titled knight
  • life knight
Synonyms
  • dame

    the female equivalent of a knight

  • baronet

    a hereditary rank above knight but still addressed as 'Sir'

Grammar Patterns

knight + of + place/institution

knight + noun (as modifier)

Usage Note

A knight is addressed as 'Sir' followed by his first name (e.g., 'Sir Paul'), not his surname. The female equivalent is 'Dame'. The title is purely ceremonial and does not give political power. The honour is not passed down to children.

Common Mistakes

The queen made him a Sir.
The queen made him a knight, so he is now called Sir John.
'Sir' is a title used with the name, not a rank noun by itself.
He was knighted a Sir.
He was knighted and became Sir John.
'Knighted' already includes the idea of becoming a knight; adding 'a Sir' is redundant.

2. In European history, a soldier of high social class who rode a horse and fought

2.nounA2
Definition

In European history, a soldier of high social class who rode a horse and fought for a king or lord. Knights wore metal armour and followed a set of rules for brave and honourable behaviour called chivalry.

Example

Each knight trained from childhood with swords and heavy shields in the castle yard.

collocation: train with swords and shields

Medieval knights wore metal armour that could weigh as much as a small adult.

Common collocations
  • medieval knight
  • armoured knight
  • mounted knight
  • knight in armour
  • knight of the Round Table
Synonyms
  • warrior

    a broader term for any skilled fighter, not tied to European feudalism or social rank

  • cavalryman

    a soldier who fights on horseback, but without the noble rank or chivalric code

  • soldier

    a general term for any army member, regardless of era or social class

Grammar Patterns

knight + in + armor/armour

knight + of + place/lord

Usage Note

This sense is the oldest meaning of the word and appears very often in fiction, films, and video games about the Middle Ages. Distinguish from sense 1 (HONORARY TITLE): the medieval knight was a real fighting soldier, not a person given a ceremonial honour.

Common Mistakes

The samurai was a Japanese knight.
The samurai was a Japanese warrior similar to a knight.
'Knight' refers specifically to European medieval fighters; warriors from other cultures have their own terms.
Knights only fought with swords.
Knights used lances on horseback and swords or axes on foot.
Their weapons changed depending on the situation.

3. In chess, a small piece shaped like a horse's head. It travels in an L-shaped pa

3.nounB1
Definition

In chess, a small piece shaped like a horse's head. It travels in an L-shaped path — moving two spaces along a straight line, then one space sideways — and is the only piece able to leap over others that stand in its way.

Example

Adisa moved his knight forward on the board to threaten Minh's rook.

The knight can jump over other pieces, which makes it valuable for surprise attacks.

unique move: jump over pieces

Common collocations
  • chess knight
  • knight move
  • white knight
  • black knight
  • knight fork
Synonyms
  • horse

    informal name for the knight piece, common among beginners

Grammar Patterns

move + a/the knight

knight + to + square

capture + with + knight

Usage Note

In casual chess conversation, the knight is sometimes called a 'horse' by beginners, but the standard term in tournament play is 'knight'. Each player starts with two knights.

Common Mistakes

The knight moves in a straight line.
The knight moves in an L-shape: two squares one way, then one square sideways.
Its movement pattern is unique among chess pieces.
The knight can jump over any piece, including the king.
The knight can jump over any piece, but it cannot land on a square occupied by your own piece.
Jumping is for passing over, not landing on occupied squares.

4. Describing someone — typically a man — who behaves bravely and kindly toward a p

4.nounC1
Definition

Describing someone — typically a man — who behaves bravely and kindly toward a person facing trouble or danger. This sense does not involve a real title or a historical fighter; it is about someone who comes to another person's aid in a difficult situation.

Example

When an elderly woman dropped her bags, a young man became her knight and carried them home.

figurative: become one's knight

Adina called her brother her knight after he stayed up all night helping her study for exams.

Common collocations
  • knight in shining armour
  • white knight
  • true knight
  • modern-day knight
Synonyms
  • rescuer

    neutral term for someone who saves another, without the chivalric or romantic overtones

  • hero

    someone admired for courage or noble qualities; broader than knight

  • protector

    someone who keeps others safe, often used in family or community contexts

Antonyms
  • villain

    a person who causes harm rather than helping

Grammar Patterns

knight + in shining armour

a/one's + knight

knight + who + rescues/helps

Usage Note

This sense is figurative and less common than the other noun senses. It often appears in the fixed phrase 'knight in shining armour' to describe someone — usually a man — who helps another person in a romantic or dramatic way. The phrase can carry a slightly old-fashioned or humorous tone.

Common Mistakes

She was his knight in shining armour.' (for a woman)
She was his knight in shining armour.
Though 'knight' traditionally refers to a man, the figurative phrase is sometimes used for women too in modern language, though 'dame' or 'hero' might fit better.
Idioms

a knight in shining armour

idiom

A person who rescues someone from a difficult or dangerous situation.

When my car broke down, Tom was my knight in shining armour.

Is Sara hoping for a knight in shining armour to solve her problems?

knight — verb

Word family

  • knighthood
    nounB2
  • knightly
    adjectiveC1
  • unknightly
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

A knight is a specific type of medieval European soldier who belonged to the noble class, fought on horseback, and followed a code of chivalry. A warrior is a much broader term for any person skilled in fighting, from any culture or time period — for example, a samurai, a Viking, or a Zulu fighter can all be called warriors, but not knights. A cavalryman is a soldier who fights on horseback, but unlike a knight, cavalrymen do not necessarily come from a noble background or follow a chivalric code; modern cavalry units exist in today's armies with tanks and helicopters. A soldier is the most general term — anyone who serves in an organized military force, regardless of rank, weapon, or era. For example: 'The knight swore an oath of loyalty to his lord before battle' (emphasis on social rank and code), while 'The soldier followed orders without question' (neutral description of duty).

knight ↗warrior ↗cavalrymansoldier ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • knight in shining armour
  • knight errant
  • knight of the Round Table
  • knight in armour

Prepositions

Etymology

Old English (cniht)Middle English (knyght)Modern English

The word 'knight' comes from the Old English word 'cniht', which originally meant 'boy' or 'servant'. Over several centuries, its meaning gradually shifted upward through the social ranks. By late Old English, a 'cniht' could be a young man serving a lord as a military follower. In the Middle English period (around 1200–1400), it came to describe a man granted the specific rank of a mounted soldier with land and status. The modern sense — a ceremonial honour given by the monarch — developed in the early modern period as knighthood became less about battlefield service and more about recognition of merit.