knightly

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English

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈnaɪtli/
- Audio (Southern England): (file)
Rhymes: -aɪtli
Homophone: nightly

Etymology 1

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

Adjective

knightly (comparative knightlier, superlative knightliest)

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

Derived terms

knightliness

Translations

formally courteous (as a knight); chivalrous, gallant and courtly

Armenian: ասպետական (hy) (aspetakan)
Georgian: რაინდული (rainduli), სარაინდო (saraindo)
German: ritterlich (de)
Irish: ridiriúil
Middle English: knyghtly
Scottish Gaelic: ridireach
Spanish: caballeresco (es), caballeroso (es)

Etymology 2

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

Adverb

knightly (comparative knightlier, superlative knightliest)

In the manner of a knight; chivalrously.
- 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 Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, , page 25:
  Mar. In Gods name, and the Kings, say who yͧ art.
  And why thou com'st thus knightly clad in Armes?
- 1822, Lord Byron, Werner, act IV, scene i:
  Who backs a horse, or bears a hawk, or wears
  A sword like him! Whose plume nods knightlier?
- 1859, Alfred Tennyson, “Guinevere”, in Idylls of the King, London: Edward Moxon & Co., , →OCLC, page 227:
  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.

References

James A. H. Murray et al., editors (1884–1928), “Knightly, adv.”, in A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles (Oxford English Dictionary), volume V (H–K), London: Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 734.

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