"knave" meaning in Middle English

See knave in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /ˈknaːv(ə)/
Etymology: From Old English cnafa, from Proto-Germanic *knabô. Compare knape. Etymology templates: {{inh|enm|ang|cnafa}} Old English cnafa, {{inh|enm|gem-pro|*knabô}} Proto-Germanic *knabô Head templates: {{head|enm|nouns|g=|g2=|g3=|head=|sort=}} knave, {{enm-noun|pl2=knaven}} knave (plural knaves or knaven) Forms: knaves [plural], knaven [plural], cnave [alternative], knafe [alternative], cnafe [alternative], knaffe [alternative], knaue [alternative], knawe [alternative], knaf [alternative], knaw [alternative]
  1. son, male child (offspring)
    Sense id: en-knave-enm-noun-sxuoMzua Categories (other): Children, Male, People Disambiguation of Children: 42 28 3 3 12 3 10 Disambiguation of Male: 54 46 0 0 0 0 0 Disambiguation of People: 46 13 0 0 23 0 18
  2. boy, lad, male child or baby
    Sense id: en-knave-enm-noun-AEmi9EKr Categories (other): Middle English entries with incorrect language header, Pages with entries, Male, Occupations Disambiguation of Middle English entries with incorrect language header: 5 15 18 18 5 14 6 7 7 2 4 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 4 23 5 28 2 26 2 5 2 2 2 Disambiguation of Male: 54 46 0 0 0 0 0 Disambiguation of Occupations: 21 32 7 14 7 12 6
  3. guy, bloke, man
    Sense id: en-knave-enm-noun-ETfVvriz
  4. servant, hireling, menial
    Sense id: en-knave-enm-noun-yUP4Kj0T
  5. peasant, lowly individual
    Sense id: en-knave-enm-noun-s9-qsiaX
  6. infantryman, soldier
    Sense id: en-knave-enm-noun-rT45j8Xa
  7. knave, caitiff, despicable individual
    Sense id: en-knave-enm-noun-KRKSiqt0
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Related terms: knave child

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

{
  "descendants": [
    {
      "depth": 1,
      "templates": [
        {
          "args": {
            "1": "en",
            "2": "knave"
          },
          "expansion": "English: knave",
          "name": "desc"
        }
      ],
      "text": "English: knave"
    },
    {
      "depth": 1,
      "templates": [
        {
          "args": {
            "1": "gmw-msc",
            "2": "knave",
            "3": "knafe",
            "4": "knaif"
          },
          "expansion": "Middle Scots: knave, knafe, knaif",
          "name": "desc"
        }
      ],
      "text": "Middle Scots: knave, knafe, knaif"
    },
    {
      "depth": 2,
      "templates": [
        {
          "args": {
            "1": "sco",
            "2": "knave"
          },
          "expansion": "Scots: knave",
          "name": "desc"
        }
      ],
      "text": "Scots: knave"
    },
    {
      "depth": 1,
      "templates": [
        {
          "args": {
            "1": "wlm",
            "2": "cnaf",
            "bor": "1"
          },
          "expansion": "→ Middle Welsh: cnaf",
          "name": "desc"
        }
      ],
      "text": "→ Middle Welsh: cnaf"
    },
    {
      "depth": 2,
      "templates": [
        {
          "args": {
            "1": "cy",
            "2": "cnaf"
          },
          "expansion": "Welsh: cnaf",
          "name": "desc"
        }
      ],
      "text": "Welsh: cnaf"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "cnafa"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English cnafa",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*knabô"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *knabô",
      "name": "inh"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Old English cnafa, from Proto-Germanic *knabô. Compare knape.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "knaves",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "knaven",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "cnave",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "knafe",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "cnafe",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "knaffe",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "knaue",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "knawe",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "knaf",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "knaw",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "nouns",
        "g": "",
        "g2": "",
        "g3": "",
        "head": "",
        "sort": ""
      },
      "expansion": "knave",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "pl2": "knaven"
      },
      "expansion": "knave (plural knaves or knaven)",
      "name": "enm-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Middle English",
  "lang_code": "enm",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "knave child"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "42 28 3 3 12 3 10",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Children",
          "orig": "enm:Children",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "54 46 0 0 0 0 0",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Male",
          "orig": "enm:Male",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "46 13 0 0 23 0 18",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "People",
          "orig": "enm:People",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "son, male child (offspring)"
      ],
      "id": "en-knave-enm-noun-sxuoMzua",
      "links": [
        [
          "son",
          "son"
        ],
        [
          "child",
          "child"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "5 15 18 18 5 14 6 7 7 2 4",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "4 23 5 28 2 26 2 5 2 2 2",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "54 46 0 0 0 0 0",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Male",
          "orig": "enm:Male",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "21 32 7 14 7 12 6",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Occupations",
          "orig": "enm:Occupations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "boy, lad, male child or baby"
      ],
      "id": "en-knave-enm-noun-AEmi9EKr",
      "links": [
        [
          "boy",
          "boy"
        ],
        [
          "lad",
          "lad"
        ],
        [
          "child",
          "child"
        ],
        [
          "baby",
          "baby"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "guy, bloke, man"
      ],
      "id": "en-knave-enm-noun-ETfVvriz",
      "links": [
        [
          "guy",
          "guy"
        ],
        [
          "bloke",
          "bloke"
        ],
        [
          "man",
          "man"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "servant, hireling, menial"
      ],
      "id": "en-knave-enm-noun-yUP4Kj0T",
      "links": [
        [
          "servant",
          "servant"
        ],
        [
          "hireling",
          "hireling"
        ],
        [
          "menial",
          "menial"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "peasant, lowly individual"
      ],
      "id": "en-knave-enm-noun-s9-qsiaX",
      "links": [
        [
          "peasant",
          "peasant"
        ],
        [
          "lowly",
          "lowly"
        ],
        [
          "individual",
          "individual"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "infantryman, soldier"
      ],
      "id": "en-knave-enm-noun-rT45j8Xa",
      "links": [
        [
          "infantryman",
          "infantryman"
        ],
        [
          "soldier",
          "soldier"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "knave, caitiff, despicable individual"
      ],
      "id": "en-knave-enm-noun-KRKSiqt0",
      "links": [
        [
          "knave",
          "knave#English"
        ],
        [
          "caitiff",
          "caitiff"
        ],
        [
          "despicable",
          "despicable"
        ],
        [
          "individual",
          "individual"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈknaːv(ə)/"
    }
  ],
  "word": "knave"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
    "Middle English lemmas",
    "Middle English nouns",
    "Middle English terms derived from Old English",
    "Middle English terms derived from Proto-Germanic",
    "Middle English terms inherited from Old English",
    "Middle English terms inherited from Proto-Germanic",
    "Pages with 2 entries",
    "Pages with entries",
    "enm:Children",
    "enm:Male",
    "enm:Occupations",
    "enm:People"
  ],
  "descendants": [
    {
      "depth": 1,
      "templates": [
        {
          "args": {
            "1": "en",
            "2": "knave"
          },
          "expansion": "English: knave",
          "name": "desc"
        }
      ],
      "text": "English: knave"
    },
    {
      "depth": 1,
      "templates": [
        {
          "args": {
            "1": "gmw-msc",
            "2": "knave",
            "3": "knafe",
            "4": "knaif"
          },
          "expansion": "Middle Scots: knave, knafe, knaif",
          "name": "desc"
        }
      ],
      "text": "Middle Scots: knave, knafe, knaif"
    },
    {
      "depth": 2,
      "templates": [
        {
          "args": {
            "1": "sco",
            "2": "knave"
          },
          "expansion": "Scots: knave",
          "name": "desc"
        }
      ],
      "text": "Scots: knave"
    },
    {
      "depth": 1,
      "templates": [
        {
          "args": {
            "1": "wlm",
            "2": "cnaf",
            "bor": "1"
          },
          "expansion": "→ Middle Welsh: cnaf",
          "name": "desc"
        }
      ],
      "text": "→ Middle Welsh: cnaf"
    },
    {
      "depth": 2,
      "templates": [
        {
          "args": {
            "1": "cy",
            "2": "cnaf"
          },
          "expansion": "Welsh: cnaf",
          "name": "desc"
        }
      ],
      "text": "Welsh: cnaf"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "cnafa"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English cnafa",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*knabô"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *knabô",
      "name": "inh"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Old English cnafa, from Proto-Germanic *knabô. Compare knape.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "knaves",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "knaven",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "cnave",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "knafe",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "cnafe",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "knaffe",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "knaue",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "knawe",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "knaf",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "knaw",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "nouns",
        "g": "",
        "g2": "",
        "g3": "",
        "head": "",
        "sort": ""
      },
      "expansion": "knave",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "pl2": "knaven"
      },
      "expansion": "knave (plural knaves or knaven)",
      "name": "enm-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Middle English",
  "lang_code": "enm",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "knave child"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "glosses": [
        "son, male child (offspring)"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "son",
          "son"
        ],
        [
          "child",
          "child"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "boy, lad, male child or baby"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "boy",
          "boy"
        ],
        [
          "lad",
          "lad"
        ],
        [
          "child",
          "child"
        ],
        [
          "baby",
          "baby"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "guy, bloke, man"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "guy",
          "guy"
        ],
        [
          "bloke",
          "bloke"
        ],
        [
          "man",
          "man"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "servant, hireling, menial"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "servant",
          "servant"
        ],
        [
          "hireling",
          "hireling"
        ],
        [
          "menial",
          "menial"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "peasant, lowly individual"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "peasant",
          "peasant"
        ],
        [
          "lowly",
          "lowly"
        ],
        [
          "individual",
          "individual"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "infantryman, soldier"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "infantryman",
          "infantryman"
        ],
        [
          "soldier",
          "soldier"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "knave, caitiff, despicable individual"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "knave",
          "knave#English"
        ],
        [
          "caitiff",
          "caitiff"
        ],
        [
          "despicable",
          "despicable"
        ],
        [
          "individual",
          "individual"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈknaːv(ə)/"
    }
  ],
  "word": "knave"
}

Download raw JSONL data for knave meaning in Middle English (3.2kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable Middle English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-06-16 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-06-01 using wiktextract (074e7de and f1c2b61). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.