knight bachelor

n. pl. knights bachelors or knight bachelors

An English knight of the lowest rank; a bachelor.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

knight bachelor

n, pl knights bachelors or knights bachelor

1. a person who has been knighted but who does not belong to any of the orders of knights

2. another name for a bachelor³

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

knight bachelor - a knight of the lowest order; could display only a pennon

bachelor-at-arms, bachelor

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

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

It goes to my heart that you should ride forth now a mere knight bachelor, when there is no noble in the land who hath so good a claim to the square pennon, save only that you have not the money to uphold it."

View in context

Andy Reid The veteran Knowsley Labour MP, George Howarth, is made a Knight Bachelor for his parliamentary and political service.

OBE for music legend Elvis; MUSIC STAR AMONG THE REGION'S GREAT AND GOOD HONOURED IN QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY HONOURS LIST

The higher number awarded to women is because men can be awarded the honour of Knight Bachelor, which has no equivalent for women - 416 have been given out since 2008.

GOING, GOING, GONG! why you're less likely to get new year's honour if you live in the west midlands..

"George has received many high honours - Lord High Commissioner, Lord-Lieutenant, Knight bachelor - but these days I suspect he is happiest walking his dogs in the Bridge of Allan woods."

Former MP handed award of a lifetime; Sir George Reid honoured

Other people who were recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours List were as follows: Knight Bachelor - Professor Christopher John Ham, CBE (Solihull).

Tireless fundraiser and campaigning nurse among those honoured by Queen

Sir Ken Dodd at Buckingham Palace, London, after he was made a Knight Bachelor of the British Empire by the Duke of Cambridge

Sir Ken Dodd dies days after marrying his partner of 40 years; The 90-year-old had recently cancelled a tour due to ill health

Kingsley was created a Knight Bachelor in 2002 for services to the British film industry.

HALL OF FAME BEN KINGSLEY

Some of his highly notable awards include an Order of Merit and a Knight bachelor from Queen Elizabeth II.

et Quote: Magdi Yacoub

"You don't have to call me 'Sir', " insisted the star who was made a Knight Bachelor in 2011, "it's not obligatory, whatever you're comfortable with".

Black Country gave Brucie his big break; It all began for the late great Bruce Forsyth as a child star in the Midlands. MIKE LOCKLEY recalls an unforgettable encounter with the showbiz legend at one of his last shows in the region in 2013

His knighthood - in the official title of Knight Bachelor - came in the Queen's 2011 Birthday Honours and was for his services to charity and entertainment.

The King of Saturday night TV

In 2014 he was made Knight Bachelor of the British Empire by the Duke of Cambridge.

Day-Lewis quits acting