Etymology Explorer › Middle Low German

Where does “knecht” come from?

knecht (Middle Low German) comes from Old English cneht, from Proto-West Germanic kneht — youth, boy; servant, knight.

knecht (Middle Low German): servant; journeyman, knight's servant

Definitions

  1. servant; journeyman, knight's servant

Ancestry of “knecht”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old EnglishcnehtAlternative form of cniht
2Proto-West Germanicknehtyouth, boy; servant, knight

Words derived from “knecht”

  • knægt
  • kneekt
Every word from Proto-West Germanic kneht →