knight
gb/nˈaɪt/ us/nˈaɪt/
B1
English
~ 5300
lovag, huszár, ló, lovaggá üt, megmentő lovag, fényes páncélú lovag
NOUN
B1
1
lovag
A2
Usage pattern:
a knight in [armor/armour]
The knight lowered his visor and charged into battle.
A lovag leeresztette a sisakrostélyát, és bevágtatott a csatába.
In the story, a young knight rescues the princess from a dragon.
A történetben egy fiatal lovag megmenti a hercegnőt egy sárkánytól.
Each knight swore loyalty to his king and promised to follow the code of chivalry.
The museum has an impressive suit of armor that once belonged to a French knight.
Squires trained for years before they could become full knights.
Learner examples
The knight rides a strong horse.
A lovag egy erős lovon lovagol.
People in the town cheer when the knight returns.
A város lakói éljeneznek, amikor a lovag visszatér.
The young man dreams of becoming a brave knight.
The king calls his best knight to the castle.
Children read many stories about knights and dragons.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "knight" with the very similar-sounding word "night" (the time when it is dark). They may also think a knight only exists in fantasy stories, but it is a real historical role.
Meaning
medieval armored horse warrior
Collocations
medieval knight
|knight in armor
|knight on horseback
|brave knight
|knight and squire
|order of knights
Synonyms
warrior (More general; not limited to medieval, horseback, or noble status.)
Antonyms
peasant (Social opposite in medieval society: a poor farmer with no noble rank.)
Themes
history
|war
|society
|politics
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A man from the Middle Ages who rode a horse, wore metal armor, and fought for a king or lord.
A man of high social rank in medieval Europe who fought on horseback wearing armor and followed a code of honor.
NOUN
B2
2
lovag
B2
Usage pattern:
[someone] is a knight of [an order]
The famous actor was made a knight for his services to drama.
A híres színészt a színművészetért tett szolgálataiért lovaggá ütötték.
As a knight of the realm, he was invited to many state ceremonies.
A birodalom lovagjaként számos állami ünnepségre meghívták.
Several scientists were named knights in this year’s honours list.
She sat beside a knight who had received the title for his charity work.
After he was named a knight, people began addressing him as "Sir David."
Learner examples
He became a knight after many years of work.
Sok évnyi munka után lovagi címet kapott.
The queen made the musician a knight.
A királynő lovaggá ütötte a zenészt.
A knight often has the title "Sir" before his name.
Many people watched the ceremony when she met the knights.
The writer was very proud to be a knight.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think modern knights still fight in armor. In this sense, a knight is mostly an honorary title, not a fighting role.
Meaning
person with knighthood title
Collocations
be made a knight
|become a knight
|knight of the realm
|knight of the Order of the British Empire
|receive a knighthood
|newly appointed knight
Synonyms
Sir (Used as a title before a knight's first name in English, not as a general noun for the status.)
Antonyms
commoner (A person with no special noble or honorary title, contrasted with someone who has been knighted.)
Themes
society
|politics
|culture
|law
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A person, usually a man, who receives a special title from a king or queen to thank them for important work or service.
Someone who has been formally given the title of knighthood, especially in the United Kingdom, usually for great achievement or public service.
NOUN
B1
3
Usage pattern:
move the knight to [square]
She moved her knight to f5 to put pressure on the king.
Huszárjával f5-re lépett, hogy nyomást gyakoroljon a királyra.
Losing a knight early in the game left him in a weak position.
Mivel már a játszma elején elvesztett egy huszárt, gyenge állásba került.
A well-placed knight can control many important squares.
He used his knight to fork the queen and rook.
Both knights were developed quickly in the opening.
Learner examples
In chess, the knight looks like a horse.
A sakkban a huszár úgy néz ki, mint egy ló.
The knight moves in an L shape.
A huszár L alakban lép.
You can jump over other pieces with the knight.
He takes her pawn with his knight.
I lose my knight, and then I lose the game.
Common mistake:
Learners often forget that the knight can jump over other pieces or confuse its movement with other chess pieces. Some also think "horse" is the official name of the piece, but the correct name in English is "knight."
Meaning
chess piece that moves in L
Collocations
white knight
|black knight
|develop the knight
|knight on f3
|knight fork
|sacrifice a knight
Synonyms
horse (Informal nickname used by some players because the piece looks like a horse.)
Themes
games
|sports
|arts_entertainment
|education
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A chess piece with a horse’s head that moves in an L shape and can jump over other pieces.
A chess piece, usually shaped like a horse’s head, that moves in an L-shaped pattern and can jump over other pieces.
VERB
B2
4
lovaggá üt
B2
Usage pattern:
to knight [someone]
The queen will knight the decorated soldier at a ceremony next month.
A királynő a jövő hónapban egy ünnepségen lovaggá üti a kitüntetett katonát.
He was knighted for his contributions to medical research.
Az orvosi kutatásokhoz való hozzájárulásáért lovaggá ütötték.
Many artists and writers have been knighted for their work.
She watched her grandfather being knighted on live television.
The king decided to knight the brave captain after the successful mission.
Learner examples
The queen will knight him next year.
A királynő jövőre lovaggá üti őt.
He was knighted for his hard work.
Kemény munkájáért lovaggá ütötték.
People cheered when the king knighted the hero.
The actor hopes the king will knight him one day.
They knight famous people for helping the country.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "knight" instead of the noun "knighthood" (e.g., *"He received a knight"* instead of "He received a knighthood" or "He was made a knight"). Remember that "to knight" must take a person as an object.
Meaning
give someone knighthood title
Collocations
knight someone
|knight him for his service
|be knighted by the queen
|officially knighted
|knight outstanding citizens
|knight new members
Synonyms
honor (More general; means to show great respect, not specifically to give a knighthood title.)
Antonyms
disgrace (To cause someone to lose honor or respect, the opposite of honoring them with a title like knighthood.)
Themes
society
|politics
|culture
|law
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To give someone the title of knight in a formal ceremony, usually by touching their shoulder with a sword.
To formally give someone the title of knighthood, especially by a king, queen, or other head of state, usually in a special ceremony.
NOUN
B2
LITERARY
5
Usage pattern:
[someone’s] knight in [shining] armor
She described her lawyer as a kind of modern knight who saved her from financial ruin.
Ügyvédjét egyfajta modern megmentő lovagként írta le, aki megmentette őt az anyagi összeomlástól.
He wanted to be her knight and protect her from all her problems.
A megmentő lovagja akart lenni, és meg akarta védeni minden bajtól.
To his fans, the whistleblower became a knight fighting against corruption.
She didn’t need a knight to rescue her; she could solve the problem herself.
The journalist called the doctor a knight for his tireless work during the crisis.
Learner examples
She calls her brother her knight because he always helps her.
Megmentő lovagjának nevezi a testvérét, mert mindig segít neki.
He tries to be a knight and protect his friends.
Igyekszik megmentő lovagként viselkedni, és megvédeni a barátait.
The doctor was a knight for many sick people.
You do not need a knight; you can be strong alone.
Some people look for a knight to fix all their problems.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use this word in very serious, non-romantic contexts where it can sound too dramatic or old-fashioned. In modern English, this sense is often slightly humorous or romantic, not neutral.
Meaning
brave or romantic male rescuer
Collocations
her knight in shining armor
|a real knight to her
|play the knight
|modern knight
|romantic knight
|knight-like behavior
Synonyms
hero (Very close in meaning, but less focused on romantic or protective behavior toward one specific person.)
Antonyms
villain (A bad or harmful person, the opposite of a brave, protective figure.)
Themes
relationships
|emotions
|stories
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A man who helps and protects someone, often a woman, in a very brave and kind way, like a hero in a story.
A man who is seen as very brave, honorable, and protective, especially toward someone in trouble, often with a romantic or idealized image.
Grammar
Dictionary form
knight
IPA
GB/nˈaɪt/
US/nˈaɪt/
Syllables & stress
knight (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (knight)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: knight
- Plural: knights
Verb
- Base: knight
- 3rd Person Singular: knights
- Present Participle: knighting
- Past: knighted
Word family
Forms
knights
noun
knighting
verb
knighted
verb
Core family
knighthood
noun
knightly
adjective
Related words
chivalry
noun B2
chivalrous
adjective B2
Expressions
black knight
1/blˈæk nˈaɪt/
idiom
technical
hostile takeover bidder
A company or person that tries to buy another company in a way the other company does not want, usually by a hostile takeover.
Examples
- The board feared a black knight would make an aggressive offer for the company.
- A black knight appeared with a higher, hostile bid that threatened the friendly deal.
knight of the realm
1/nˈaɪt əv ðə ɹˈɛlm/
fixed phrase
formal
person holding British knighthood
A person, usually a man, who has received the title of knight from the British king or queen.
Examples
- As a knight of the realm, he attended many official state events.
- The singer was made a knight of the realm for his charity work.
white knight
1/wˈaɪt nˈaɪt/
idiom
helpful saver in crisis
A person or company that comes to help another person or company that is in serious trouble, especially to stop an unfriendly business takeover.
Examples
- The smaller firm was saved when a white knight offered to buy it at a fair price.
- Investors were searching for a white knight to protect the company from the hostile bid.
- He acted as a white knight, lending the business enough money to survive.
knight in shining armor
1/nˈaɪt ˈɪn ʃˈaɪnɪŋ ˈɑɹmɚ/
idiom
ideal man who rescues someone
A man who appears and helps someone out of big trouble in a very brave and romantic way, like a hero in a story.
Examples
- She was hoping for a knight in shining armor to pay off her debts, but she knew that was unrealistic.
- When my car broke down in the rain, a stranger stopped like a knight in shining armor and helped me fix it.
- When her car broke down, her neighbor turned out to be a real knight in shining armor.
- She’s always waiting for a knight in shining armor instead of solving her own problems.
- He wants to be her knight in shining armor, but she prefers to solve her own problems.
- His offer to pay the medical bills made him seem like a knight in shining armor to the family.