Where does “knight” come from?
Knight derives from Middle English knighten, from Old English cniht, from Proto-West Germanic kneht, originally meaning a young man or servant.
knight (English): A young servant or follower; a trained military...
Definitions
- A young servant or follower; a trained military...
Ancestry of “knight”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | knight | knight |
| 2 | Old English | cniht | boy; servant, attendant; male of high military... |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | kneht | youth, boy; servant, knight |
Words derived from “knight”