Dictionary

knightly en · ADJ · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• /ˈnaɪtli/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Middle English knyghtly, knightlich; equivalent to knight + -ly (adjectival suffix). Cognate with Old English cnihtlīċ (“boyish”), Dutch knechtelijk (“servile”), German knechtlich (“menial”).

Meanings

1. Of or pertaining to a knight or knights.
   • Where noyse of armes, or vew of martiall guize / Might not reuiue desire of knightly exercize. 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto VI”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 25:
2. Befitting a knight; formally courteous (as a knight); chivalrous, gallant and courtly.
   • knightly combat

Forms

Deriveds

unknightly · knightlihood · knightliness · knightlily

Translations (13)

es caballeroso (formally courteous (as a knight); chivalrous, gallant and courtly) · hy ասպետական (formally courteous (as a knight); chivalrous, gallant and courtly) · ka რაინდული (formally courteous (as a knight); chivalrous, gallant and courtly) · de ritterlich (formally courteous (as a knight); chivalrous, gallant and courtly) · ca cavalleresc (formally courteous (as a knight); chivalrous, gallant and courtly) · enm knyghtly (formally courteous (as a knight); chivalrous, gallant and courtly) · es caballeresco (formally courteous (as a knight); chivalrous, gallant and courtly) · ga ridiriúil (formally courteous (as a knight); chivalrous, gallant and courtly) · ca cavallerívol (formally courteous (as a knight); chivalrous, gallant and courtly) · cy marchogaidd (formally courteous (as a knight); chivalrous, gallant and courtly) · ka სარაინდო (formally courteous (as a knight); chivalrous, gallant and courtly) · gd ridireach (formally courteous (as a knight); chivalrous, gallant and courtly) · fr chevaleresque (formally courteous (as a knight); chivalrous, gallant and courtly)

knightly en · ADV · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• /ˈnaɪtli/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Middle English knyghtly; equivalent to knight + -ly (adverbial suffix).

Meanings

1. In the manner of a knight; chivalrously.
   • Mar. In Gods name, and the Kings, say who yͧ [thou] art. And why thou com'st thus knightly clad in Armes? 1595 December 9 (first known performance), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Richard the Second”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii], page 25:
   • Who backs a horse, or bears a hawk, or wears A sword like him! Whose plume nods knightlier? 1822, Lord Byron, Werner, act IV, scene i
   • He, reverencing king's blood in a bad man, Made such excuses as he might, and these Full knightly without scorn; for in those days No knight of Arthur's noblest dealt in scorn. 1859, Alfred Tennyson, “Guinevere”, in Idylls of the King, London: Edward Moxon & Co., […], →OCLC, page 227:

Forms