Main Entry:

¹knight

Pronunciation:

\ˈnīt\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Middle English, from Old English cniht man-at-arms, boy, servant; akin to Old High German kneht youth, military follower

Date:

before 12th century

1 a (1): a mounted man-at-arms serving a feudal superior ; especially : a man ceremonially inducted into special military rank usually after completing service as page and squire (2): a man honored by a sovereign for merit and in Great Britain ranking below a baronet (3): a person of antiquity equal to a knight in rank b: a man devoted to the service of a lady as her attendant or champion c: a member of an order or society2: either of two pieces of each color in a set of chessmen having the power to make an L-shaped move of two squares in one row and one square in a perpendicular row over squares that may be occupied