Ask Difference

Knight vs. Night — What's the Difference?

Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on October 12, 2023
"Knight" refers to a medieval warrior or an honored title, while "Night" denotes the time between sunset and sunrise.
Knight vs. Night — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Knight and Night

ADVERTISEMENT

Key Differences

"Knight" and "Night" are classic examples of homophones in English, words that sound alike but have different meanings. Knight, rooted in medieval history, signifies a person granted an honorary title of knighthood. This title is often because of their service, typically in the military. Night, on the other hand, is a time-related term, representing the period from sunset to sunrise, when no sunlight is visible.
The word Knight carries with it images of armor-clad warriors, castles, and chivalry. Knights were often seen as protectors, their lives dedicated to serving their sovereign and kingdom. This contrasts starkly with Night, which evokes thoughts of darkness, stars, sleep, or perhaps even mystery and danger. Night, in literature, often symbolizes the unknown or the unconscious.
Historically, a Knight would have numerous responsibilities, including defending the kingdom and upholding a code of conduct. These warriors would often be revered and respected figures in society. Contrarily, Night has no such responsibilities or connotations. Instead, it's a natural part of the Earth's daily cycle, impacting animals' and humans' routines and behaviors.
In essence, while both Knight and Night might sound the same when spoken, their meanings and associations are worlds apart. One is a title or a warrior from a bygone era, while the other is a daily occurrence, a time when the world rests under a starlit sky.

Comparison Chart

Definition

A person given an honorary title of knighthood.
The period from sunset to sunrise.
ADVERTISEMENT

Context

Historical, often medieval.
Time-related.

Nature

Human role or title.
Daily natural occurrence.

Example

"The knight rode forth on his steed."
"The night was silent except for the cricket's song."

Phonetic Sound

Pronounced /naɪt/
Pronounced /naɪt/

Compare with Definitions

Knight

A medieval military servant.
The knight valiantly defended the castle.

Night

The time of darkness between sunset and sunrise.
The night is quiet and serene.

Knight

A man awarded a non-hereditary title by a sovereign.
He was made a knight for his philanthropic services.

Night

The time when one is not awake or active.
He works during the day and rests at night.

Knight

A piece in the game of chess.
I moved my knight to check the king.

Night

Night (also described as night time or night-time or nighttime, unconventionally spelled as nite) is the period of ambient darkness from sunset to sunrise during each 24-hour day, when the Sun is below the horizon. The exact time when night begins and ends depends on the location and varies throughout the year, based on factors such as season and latitude.

Knight

A person devoted to a life of chivalry.
As a knight, he vowed to protect the innocent.

Night

The period between sunset and sunrise, especially the hours of darkness.

Knight

A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity.Knighthood finds origins in the Greek hippeis and hoplite (ἱππεῖς) and Roman eques and centurion of classical antiquity.In the Early Middle Ages in Europe, knighthood was conferred upon mounted warriors. During the High Middle Ages, knighthood was considered a class of lower nobility.

Night

This period considered as a unit of time
For two nights running.

Knight

A medieval tenant giving military service as a mounted man-at-arms to a feudal landholder.

Night

This period considered from its conditions
A rainy night.

Knight

A medieval gentleman-soldier, usually high-born, raised by a sovereign to privileged military status after training as a page and squire.

Night

The period between dusk and midnight of a given day
Either late Thursday night or early Friday morning.

Knight

A man holding a nonhereditary title conferred by a sovereign in recognition of personal merit or service to the country.

Night

The period between evening and bedtime.

Knight

A man belonging to an order or brotherhood.

Night

This period considered from its activities
A night at the opera.

Knight

A defender, champion, or zealous upholder of a cause or principle.

Night

This period set aside for a specific purpose
Parents' Night at school.

Knight

The devoted champion of a lady.

Night

The period between bedtime and morning
Spent the night at a motel.

Knight

Abbr. Kt or N(Games) A chess piece, usually in the shape of a horse's head, that can be moved two squares along a rank and one along a file or two squares along a file and one along a rank. The knight is the only piece that can jump other pieces to land on an open square.

Night

One's sleep during this period
Had a restless night.

Knight

To raise (a person) to knighthood.

Night

Nightfall
Worked from morning to night.

Knight

(historical) A young servant or follower; a trained military attendant in service of a lord.

Night

Darkness
Vanished into the night.

Knight

(historical) A minor nobleman with an honourable military rank who had served as a page and squire.

Night

A time or condition of gloom, obscurity, ignorance, or despair
"In a real dark night of the soul it is always three o'clock in the morning" (F. Scott Fitzgerald).

Knight

(by extension) An armored and mounted warrior of the Middle Ages.
King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table

Night

A time or condition marked by absence of moral or ethical values
"He never would have let us go untroubled into the night of private greed" (Anthony Lewis).

Knight

A person obliged to provide knight service in exchange for maintenance of an estate held in knight's fee.

Night

Of or relating to the night
The night air.

Knight

(modern) A person on whom a knighthood has been conferred by a monarch.

Night

Intended for use at night
A night light.

Knight

(literary) A brave, chivalrous and honorable man devoted to a noble cause or love interest.

Night

Working during the night
The night nurse.

Knight

(chess) A chess piece, often in the shape of a horse's head, that is moved two squares in one direction and one at right angles to that direction in a single move, leaping over any intervening pieces.

Night

Active chiefly at night
Night prowlers.

Knight

A playing card bearing the figure of a knight; the knave or jack.

Night

Occurring after dark
Night baseball.

Knight

(entomology) Any of various nymphalid butterflies of the genus Ypthima.

Night

(countable) The period between sunset and sunrise, when a location faces far away from the sun, thus when the sky is dark.
How do you sleep at night when you attack your kids like that!?

Knight

(modern) Any mushroom belonging to genus Tricholoma.

Night

The period of darkness beginning at the end of evening astronomical twilight when the sun is 18 degrees below the horizon, and ending at the beginning of morning astronomical twilight.

Knight

(transitive) To confer knighthood upon.
The king knighted the young squire.

Night

A period of time often defined in the legal system as beginning 30 minutes after sunset, and ending 30 minutes before sunrise.

Knight

To promote (a pawn) to a knight.

Night

(countable) An evening or night spent at a particular activity.
A night on the town

Knight

A young servant or follower; a military attendant.

Night

(countable) A night (and part of the days before and after it) spent in a place away from home, e.g. a hotel.
I stayed my friend's house for three nights.

Knight

In feudal times, a man-at-arms serving on horseback and admitted to a certain military rank with special ceremonies, including an oath to protect the distressed, maintain the right, and live a stainless life.
Knights, by their oaths, should right poor ladies' harms.

Night

(uncountable) Nightfall.
From noon till night

Knight

A piece used in the game of chess, usually bearing a horse's head.

Night

(uncountable) Darkness (due to it being nighttime).
The cat disappeared into the night.

Knight

A playing card bearing the figure of a knight; the knave or jack.

Night

(uncountable) A dark blue colour, midnight blue.

Knight

To dub or create (one) a knight; - done in England by the sovereign only, who taps the kneeling candidate with a sword, saying: Rise, Sir --.
A soldier, by the honor-giving handOf CŒur-de-Lion knighted in the field.

Night

A night's worth of competitions, generally one game.

Knight

Originally a person of noble birth trained to arms and chivalry; today in Great Britain a person honored by the sovereign for personal merit

Night

Ellipsis of good night
Night, y'all! Thanks for a great evening!

Knight

A chessman in the shape of a horse's head; can move two squares horizontally and one vertically (or vice versa)

Night

To spend a night (in a place), to overnight.

Knight

Raise (someone) to knighthood;
The Beatles were knighted

Night

That part of the natural day when the sun is beneath the horizon, or the time from sunset to sunrise; esp., the time between dusk and dawn, when there is no light of the sun, but only moonlight, starlight, or artificial light.
And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night.

Knight

A term used in various orders of knighthood.
He is a Knight of the Order of the Garter.

Night

Darkness; obscurity; concealment.
Nature and nature's laws lay hid in night.

Night

Intellectual and moral darkness; ignorance.
She closed her eyes in everlasting night.
Do not go gentle into that good nightRage, rage against the dying of the light.

Night

A lifeless or unenlivened period, as when nature seems to sleep.
So help me God, as I have watched the night,Ay, night by night, in studying good for England.

Night

The time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

Night

The time between sunset and midnight;
He watched television every night

Night

The period spent sleeping;
I had a restless night

Night

The dark part of the diurnal cycle considered a time unit;
Three nights later he collapsed

Night

Darkness;
It vanished into the night

Night

A shortening of nightfall;
They worked from morning to night

Night

A period of ignorance or backwardness or gloom

Night

Roman goddess of night; daughter of Erebus; counterpart of Greek Nyx

Night

The period from evening to morning.
We stargazed all night.

Night

The latter part and close of the day.
I'll see you tonight.

Night

A period of distress or gloominess.
After the accident, he went through a long night of despair.

Common Curiosities

Was every Knight from medieval times?

No, while knights originated in medieval times, the title persists today in certain honors systems.

Do Knight and Night sound the same?

Yes, they are homophones, which means they sound alike but have different meanings.

Does Night always indicate darkness?

While night typically means the absence of sunlight, it doesn't mean total darkness due to moonlight, stars, and artificial lights.

Does Night always refer to the time of day?

Primarily, but it can also metaphorically refer to periods of darkness or gloominess in life.

Were all Knights rich and powerful?

Not necessarily. While some knights were wealthy lords, others were lesser nobles or even commoners who earned knighthood.

Can women be given the title of Knight?

In modern times, women can receive equivalent honors, but the title might differ, like "Dame" in the UK.

Is there a term for fear of Night?

Yes, it's called "nyctophobia."

Were Knights only European?

While the concept originated in Europe, similar warrior classes existed in other cultures, but they weren't called "knights."

Does Night have a specific starting time?

It's generally considered to start at sunset, but the exact time can vary.

What's the role of a Knight in chess?

In chess, a knight moves in an L-shape: two squares in one direction and one square perpendicular.

Can Night refer to an event?

Yes, phrases like "movie night" or "date night" refer to events during the evening.

Were Knights always honorable?

While chivalry was an ideal, individual knights varied in their morals and actions, just like any other group.

Can Night also refer to a period in history?

Yes, metaphorically. Phrases like "the Dark Ages" or "night of oppression" refer to gloomy historical periods.

Are there female Knights in history?

While knighthood was typically male, some women, like Joan of Arc, have been historically termed "knights" for their valor.

How long does Night last?

It varies based on geographical location and time of year. Near the poles, nights can last 24 hours in winter.

Share Your Discovery

Share via Social Media
Embed This Content
Embed Code
Share Directly via Messenger
Link
Previous Comparison
Once vs. Since
Next Comparison
Hilt vs. Pommel

Author Spotlight

Written by
Fiza Rafique
Fiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Tayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.

Popular Comparisons

Trending Comparisons

New Comparisons

Trending Terms