The Collaborative International Dictionary
Knight bachelor \Knight" bach"e*lor\; pl. Knights bachelors. A knight of the most ancient, but lowest, order of English knights, and not a member of any order of chivalry. See Bachelor, 4.
WordNet
n. a knight of the lowest order; could display only a pennon [syn: bachelor-at-arms, bachelor]
Wikipedia
The appointment of Knight Bachelor (Kt) is a part of the British honours system.
It is the most basic and lowest rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry. Knights Bachelor are the most ancient sort of British knight (the rank existed during the 13th century reign of King Henry III), but Knights Bachelor rank below knights of the various orders.
There is no female counterpart to Knight Bachelor. The lowest knightly honour that can be conferred upon a woman is Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (DBE) – which, technically, is one rank higher than Knight Bachelor (being the female equivalent of 'KBE' or Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, which is the next male knightly rank above Knight Bachelor). Also, foreigners cannot be created Knights Bachelor; instead they are generally made honorary KBEs.
Usage examples of "knight bachelor".
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.
Just an outlying knight bachelor, no chansons about me for the minstrels to sing, or any- thing like that.
Perhaps never had Devlen Castle seen a more brilliant and goodly company gathered in the great hall than that which came to witness King Henry create Myles Falworth a knight bachelor.
Thou shouldst be afeard to admit thou wert ever dubbed a knight bachelor!
You're now assistant harbormaster and knight bachelor of the empire.