Spelling.School · How to spell

How to spell knave

Knave is spelled K-N-A-V-E.

hear itknave/neɪv/nounSilent and tricky

What it means: A deceitful or untrustworthy person.

In a sentence: The knight in the story caught the naughty knave sneaking into the castle.

The part people get wrong

Watch for a silent k.

Same family: knavery, rogue, scoundrel, villain, trickster. If you can spell one, the shared part carries to the others.

Where it comes from: Knave comes from Old English "cnafa," which originally meant a boy or male servant; over time, its meaning shifted to suggest a dishonest or untrustworthy man, which is why it also appears as a playing card name in older decks instead of "jack."

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