Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The rank, dignity, or vocation of a knight.
  • noun Behavior or qualities befitting a knight; chivalry.
  • noun Knights considered as a group.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The rank or dignity of a knight.
  • noun The body of knights; knightage.
  • noun Knightly character; the chivalric quality of conduct suitable to a knight.
  • noun Knightly deeds.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The character, dignity, or condition of a knight, or of knights as a class; hence, chivalry.
  • noun The whole body of knights.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun An honour whereby one is made into a knight, and one can thereafter be called "Sir"
  • noun The quality of being a knight.
  • noun The knights collectively, the body of knights.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun aristocrats holding the rank of knight

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English knighthod, from Old English cnihthād

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Examples

  • Day visited Sir Norman at his nursing home last year and said that despite his failing health, he remembered pretending to stumble after receiving his knighthood from the Queen in 2000, asking: "Do you remember when I tripped?"

    Norman Wisdom, last survivor of the music halls, dies aged 95 Maev Kennedy 2010

  • According to the BBC, he called the knighthood an “unlooked for honour”.

    Arise, Sir Patrick of the Enterprise : Chronicles Network: Science Fiction & Fantasy 2010

  • Aldridge went on to tour the European continent, garnering numerous honors, including a knighthood from the Duke of Saxe-Meiningen, and transforming Russian acting technique with his naturalistic style.

    Introduction 2002

  • Tzu-kung asked, What is it that we call knighthood?

    The Sayings Of Confucius 551 BC-479 BC Confucius

  • Dr. Siemens has received many honours from learned societies at home and abroad; and a title equivalent to knighthood from the German Government.

    Heroes of the Telegraph John Munro 1889

  • He does not need a knighthood from a German Queen as you suggest, Henry Jones-Davies because, unbeknown to you, he’s been awarded the Order of the Pink Freesia by the Dear Leader himself - the highest honour that North Korea can bestow on a foreigner!

    London-centric Leighton 2008

  • Bazalgette, a descendant of the great Victorian civil engineer responsible for building London's sewers, said: "To receive a knighthood is a delightful compliment and I am acknowledging it as recognition for television's thriving independent production sector in general."

    New Year honours recognise successes in poetry, prose – and reality TV 2011

  • She didn't get off to a good start with a botched explanation of why giving Salman Rushdie a knighthood was a bad idea.

    Question Time Jeff 2007

  • Iran (the declared enemy) called the knighthood an "insulting, suspicious and improper act by the British Government in an obvious example of fighting against Islam."

    Momekh: To Sir, With What? 2008

  • The decision to recommend that Salman Rushdie receive a knighthood was a bold and correct one.

    Petitions 2007

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