Knightlich

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Resembling a knight in bearing, chivalry, or noble conduct, as in a courageous and honorable manner
2. Possessing the virtues traditionally associated with a medieval knight, such as bravery, courtesy, and loyalty
3. Of a character that embodies the ideals of knighthood, especially chivalrous courage and devotion to honor

Etymology: Its root, Old English "cniht," originally meant a boy or young man, or a servant or attendant, with no sense of armour or horses. German "Knecht," meaning servant, comes from the same source, so the two languages preserve the older sense side by side. The shift to a mounted fighting man came in the Middle Ages, when young retainers who served a lord were the ones who fought for him. The sense of service narrowed to the warrior class, and the adjective followed. "Knightlich" is a rare, archaic form of "knightly," built from the same noun plus the suffix "-lich," meaning "like" or "in the manner of," the ancestor of modern "-ly."

Synonyms: knightly, chivalrous

Antonyms: unchivalrous, cowardly