English
Knight
Knight comes from Old English cniht ‘youth’, and goes back to Proto-West Germanic *kneht.
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*kneht‘youth, boy’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150cniht‘youth’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500knyghte
- Englishearliest quotation 2023Knight
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*kneht‘youth, boy’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150cniht‘youth’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500knyghte
- Englishearliest quotation 2023Knight
Earliest quotation: 2023, Daniel Brown: “Though teams from China have hoisted the Summoner’s Cup,…”
Every English word from Proto-West Germanic *kneht
Today it means
name An English surname originating as an occupation for someone who was a mounted soldier.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-West Germanic *kneht / Knight