What Is a Female Knight Called?

A female knight is most often called a dame in the modern British-honors context; in general writing, woman knight or female knight is usually clearest. There is no single feminine version of knight that works across every country, historical period, military order, or fictional world. The right word depends on whether you mean a modern honor, a medieval title, a character, or a general metaphor.

Why There Is No Universal Female Title

A woman’s knightly title depends on the institution and era, not simply on finding a feminine version of the word “knight.”

A knight was not always just a warrior in armor.

That is why terms such as dame, lady knight, chevaleresse, and militissa are not interchangeable. Each belongs to a particular setting.

For everyday modern writing, you usually do not need an obscure historical term. “Female knight” is understandable, while “woman knight” often sounds more natural in a sentence.

How to Choose the Right Term

Context	Best Term to Use	Important Detail
Modern British honor with the title	Dame	Use “Dame” rather than “Sir.”
A woman in a British chivalric order	Lady or Dame, depending on the order and rank	Do not assume every female member is styled the same way.
General nonfiction or historical description	Woman knight or female knight	Clear when the exact historical title is unknown.
Old French historical context	Chevaleresse	Used for a woman holding knightly status in her own right.
Old French wife of a knight	Chevalière	A courtesy title, not necessarily her own knightly rank.
A specific medieval Italian religious-military order	Militissa	An institution-specific Latin title.
Fantasy, games, or fiction	Knight, woman knight, or lady knight	Follow the world’s established titles and style.
A figurative “knight in shining armor” meaning	Champion or hero	These are gender-inclusive and usually read more naturally.

Step 1: Identify What “Knight” Means in Your Sentence

Decide whether you mean an official honor, a historical person, a fictional warrior, or a metaphorical protector.
Check whether the person belonged to a named order or held a documented title.
Use a general description when the exact title is uncertain rather than assigning a title from another country or century.

For example, a woman who led troops is not automatically known historically as a dame. A fictional warrior may be a knight simply because the story’s order calls all its members knights.

Step 2: Use the Title That Belongs to That Setting

Use Dame for a woman whose British honor carries that title.
Use woman knight or female knight when writing broadly about women who held or performed knightly roles.
Use a term such as chevaleresse only when the language, period, and social status fit.

Step 3: Check the Name and Capitalization

Capitalize a formal title before a name.
Keep a general role lowercase: “Eleanor was a woman knight.”
Keep a fictional title consistent with the story’s world.

Read the full sentence once more to make sure the title describes the person’s actual role rather than merely her relationship to a male knight.

Modern British Honors Use Dame, Not Sir

For a woman who receives a British honor equivalent to a knighthood, the usual formal title is Dame, not Sir.

In modern British-order language, women members are described as ladies and may be addressed as dames when their rank carries that style.

“Lady” can be correct in certain order-specific contexts, but it is not a universal substitute for dame. It can also be a social title, a courtesy title, or part of a name, so it does not always tell readers that someone holds a knightly honor.

The distinction between women’s and men’s forms in British orders is reflected in the Women’s Media Center language guide.

Medieval women could hold power, manage estates, lead defenses, command troops, and in some cases join chivalric or military religious orders. But “female knight” was not a uniform medieval job title.

In Old French, two related words could signal very different positions:

Chevaleresse could refer to a woman who held knightly status or military obligations in her own right.
Chevalière was often a courtesy term for the wife of a chevalier, or knight.

That difference matters. Calling every knight’s wife a chevaleresse would suggest that she held the rank herself.

Some institutions created their own titles. The medieval Italian Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary admitted women under the Latin title militissa, a feminine form related to miles, meaning soldier or knight. These terms show that women’s participation existed.

Arthurian tradition is a separate case. A Knight of the Round Table was traditionally male, with no direct female equivalent in that framework.

Using Female Knight in Fiction and Everyday Writing

For a novel, game, costume description, school project, or casual conversation, plain language is usually best.

Use female knight when sex is relevant to the point you are making:

> The story follows a female knight serving the queen.

A person-first wording can read more naturally:

> She was one of the first woman knights in the order.

Use lady knight when it is an established title in a fictional setting or when you want a deliberately storybook tone:

> The Lady Knight rode at the head of the royal guard.

You can also simply use knight. In a fantasy world where the order admits people of all genders, “knight” is the role; it does not need a special feminine form.

For a metaphorical phrase, avoid trying to make “knight in shining armor” feminine. Champion, hero, protector, or advocate will usually say exactly what you mean without turning gender into the focus.

Quick Check Before You Use the Term

Before settling on a title, make sure your wording passes these checks:

Is this a real modern honor, a historical description, or fiction?
Does the person hold a documented title, or are you describing a role?
If it is medieval French, have you avoided confusing a woman’s own rank with a wife’s courtesy title?
If it is Arthurian history, have you avoided presenting a woman as a traditional Knight of the Round Table?
If you mean a figurative supporter, would champion or hero be clearer?

Frequently Asked Questions

What do you call a woman who has been knighted?

Call her Dame [Name] when she has received a British honor that confers the title Dame. “Sir” is used for men, not as a title for women. In less formal discussion, you can say she has received a knighthood-equivalent honor.

Do female knights get called Sir?

No. A woman who holds a modern British honor associated with knighthood is addressed as Dame, not Sir, when her rank grants that title. “Lady” may be used in some order-specific memberships, but it is not a universal replacement for Dame.

Is lady knight a correct term?

Yes, lady knight is a clear and familiar term for a fictional character or a general description of a woman who is a knight. It is not a universal historical or modern official title. For a documented British honor, use Dame when appropriate.

What is a chevaleresse?

A chevaleresse is an Old French term associated with a woman who held knightly standing in her own right. It differs from chevalière, which could be used as a courtesy title for a knight’s wife. Use these terms only when the distinction between a woman’s own rank and a wife’s courtesy title matters.

Were there female Knights of the Round Table?

No. In the traditional Arthurian framework, the Knights of the Round Table were men and there was no matching female title. Modern retellings may create women knights, but those characters are adaptations rather than traditional Round Table members.