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You are here: Home / Language / Where Did the Term “Bachelor” Come From and Why are Unmarried Men Called Bachelors?

Where Did the Term “Bachelor” Come From and Why are Unmarried Men Called Bachelors?

March 25, 2020 by Karen Hill

In the eleventh century, a bachelor was a low-ranking knight without the means to raise an army.

To indicate this he flew a pointed banner, whereas a full knight had a flag without a tip.

The bachelor was a junior, which is why a bachelor’s degree refers to the lowest rank from a university.

Because most young men were unmarried, they began being referred to as bachelors in the fourteenth century.

Some university graduates and most unmarried men are called “bachelors”.

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Filed Under: Language

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

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