Knight vs. Spartan — What's the Difference?

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.

Of or relating to Sparta or its people.

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

Rigorously self-disciplined or self-restrained.

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

Simple, frugal, or austere

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

Marked by brevity of speech; laconic.

A man belonging to an order or brotherhood.

Courageous in the face of pain, danger, or adversity.

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

A citizen of Sparta.

The devoted champion of a lady.

One of Spartan character.

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.

Austere, frugal, characterized by self-denial.

To raise (a person) to knighthood.

Resolute in the face of danger or adversity.

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

Lacking in decoration and luxury.

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

Of or pertaining to Sparta, especially to ancient Sparta; hence, hardy; undaunted; as, Spartan souls; Spartan bravey.

(by extension) An armored and mounted warrior of the Middle Ages.

A resident of Sparta

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

Of or relating to or characteristic of Sparta or its people

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

Resolute in the face of pain or danger or adversity;

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

Unsparing and uncompromising in discipline or judgment;

(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.

Practicing great self-denial;

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

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

(modern) Any mushroom belonging to genus Tricholoma.

(transitive) To confer knighthood upon.

To promote (a pawn) to a knight.

A young servant or follower; a military attendant.

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.

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

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

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 --.

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

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

Raise (someone) to knighthood;