 This meaning, of unknown origin, is common among West Germanic languages (cf Old Frisian "kniucht", Dutch "knecht", Danish "knægt", Swedish "knekt", Norwegian "knekt", Middle High German "kneht", all meaning "boy, youth, lad").Middle High German had the phrase "guoter kneht", which also meant knight; but this meaning was in decline by about 1200.The meaning of "cniht" changed over time from its original meaning of "boy" to "household retainer".