knight of the pen
- noun
- Archaic
:
caballero de la pluma
- Literary critics referred to her as a knight of the pen because of her influential essays.
Examples
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Mark Twain is often considered a knight of the pen.
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The young novelist quickly became known as a knight of the pen for his moving stories.
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Earning the reputation of a knight of the pen is a high honor in the world of literature.
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Many authors aspire to become a knight of the pen.
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Many authors aspire to be recognized as a knight of the pen for their literary contributions.
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Literary critics honored her as a knight of the pen due to her celebrated novels and essays.
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Earning the title of knight of the pen signifies a writer's exceptional skill and achievements.
Synonyms
3
8.4
A man who studies and writes about books and literature
1
7.7
A person who writes for a living, for example a journalist or author
A woman who writes for newspapers or magazines
Antonyms
How Skilled
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning can be inferred from the constituents: 'knight' conveys an honored or distinguished person and 'pen' symbolizes writing, so a learner who knows those words can plausibly deduce it refers to an honoured writer. However, the phrase is a figurative, somewhat literary honorific rather than a literal composition, so its exact nuance may not be fully predictable without some exposure.
Etymology
Knight of the pen shows a picture of a brave knight who uses a pen instead of a sword, as if fighting with words. So calling someone a knight of the pen means they are an honored 'writer'.