What does knighting mean?
Knighting is the act or ceremony of granting someone the rank and title of knight. It is especially associated with the British honours system, in which a monarch formally recognises distinguished service, achievement, or contribution to public life. Historically, the ceremony could include the conferral of the title through a symbolic dubbing with a sword. Modern ceremonies are often ceremonial occasions at which the recipient’s name and honour are formally announced. The word is usually used in formal and historical contexts, although it can also describe the broader process of becoming a knight. Although knighthood denotes the honour or rank itself, knighting specifically emphasises the action, event, or ceremony through which that honour is granted.
nounThe act or ceremony of conferring the title or rank of knight on someone.
- The act, process, or ceremony of making someone a knight.
"The queen's knighting of the veteran soldier was broadcast live from Buckingham Palace."
"His knighting followed years of distinguished service in the navy."
"The programme covered the knighting ceremony and the newly appointed knight's speech."
A symbolic sword once helped transform a subject into “Sir,” but modern knighting ceremonies are often the public announcement of an honour already granted.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of knighting
“Knighting” was formed in Middle English by adding the suffix “-ing” to “knight.” “Knight” comes from Old English cniht, originally meaning a boy or youth and later a mounted warrior, and ultimately derives from a Germanic word with cognates in related languages. The development of “knight” from a young warrior to a formally recognised mounted fighter was followed by the modern sense of an honour-bearing rank awarded by a monarch.
How knighting is actually used
Knighting names the conferral of knighthood or the associated ceremony. It is distinct from “knighted,” which describes the person who has received the honour.