Sir Gawain
2
9.2
- proper noun
- Sir Lancelot.
Examples
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It's Sir Lancelot.
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Sir Lancelot would not exchange his knighthood for any kingdom.
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Sir Lancelot, at your service.
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Sir Lancelot, ladies and gentlemen.
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Sir Lancelot, you will be my champion.
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Sir Lancelot.
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Sir Lancelot.
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In the tales of Arthurian legend, Sir Gawain is celebrated for his bravery during epic battles.
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During the quest for the Holy Grail, Sir Gawain showed great courtesy and honor.
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As one of King Arthur's most trusted knights, Sir Gawain embodied the ideals of chivalry.
Synonyms
8
9.9
A nephew of King Arthur who is a brave, polite knight of the Round Table
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound is simply the title 'Sir' (a knightly honorific) plus the proper name 'Gawain', so a learner who knows both constituents can infer it refers to a knight named Gawain. While detailed biographical facts (e.g., nephew of King Arthur) require cultural or literary knowledge, the basic referential meaning is directly and compositionally derivable from the parts.
Etymology
Sir Gawain is a name from old King Arthur stories for a brave, polite knight. He is the 'nephew' of King Arthur and in the famous Green Knight tale he accepts a dangerous challenge to protect the court, so his name now stands for 'bravery', 'courtesy' and loyalty.