noun
Common
est
ehst
Est (noun) means Grace or favour shown to someone; goodwill. Example: “In the old tale, the knight hoped to win the lady's est by his bravery.”
noun
1
Grace or favour shown to someone; goodwill.
"In the old tale, the knight hoped to win the lady's est by his bravery."
"The ballad says the poor man lived by the est of his lord."
"The old poem asks for the king's est upon the traveler."
How to use est
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn old word for kindness or favour granted to someone.
Memory tip
You will only run into this in older or dialect texts — it has died out of everyday English.
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
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Word forms
- Plural
- ests
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In the old tale, the knight hoped to win the lady's _____ by his bravery.
Etymology
From Old English ēst, "goodwill" or "favour," tracing back to a Germanic root shared with words like the Icelandic ást ("love") and German Gunst ("favour"). It survives only in historical and dialect use today.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for est
See all rhymes for est →Frequently asked questions
What does “est” mean?
The word “est” means grace or favour shown to someone; goodwill. In plain terms, an old word for kindness or favour granted to someone.
How do you pronounce “est”?
“Est” is pronounced ehst (/ɛst/ in IPA).
How do you use “est” in a sentence?
Here is “est” used in a sentence: “The old poem asks for the king's est upon the traveler.”
What part of speech is “est”?
“Est” is a noun.
Where does the word “est” come from?
The word “est” comes from Old English. From Old English ēst, "goodwill" or "favour," tracing back to a Germanic root shared with words like the Icelandic ást ("love") and German Gunst ("favour"). It survives only in historical and dialect use today.
Is “est” a common word?
“Est” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is the difference between "est" and "goodwill"?
In the sense given here, "est" means grace or favour shown to someone, which overlaps closely with "goodwill." "Goodwill" is the far more common everyday word for a friendly, favourable attitude toward another person.
What is the difference between "est" and "grace"?
Both words can refer to favour kindly shown to someone. "Grace" is the widely used term for unearned kindness or favour, while "est" is a rare word expressing the same idea of goodwill.
When would you use "est" to mean favour?
"Est" is used in the sense of grace or favour shown to someone, expressing goodwill or kindness toward them. Because it is uncommon, most writers choose "favour," "grace," or "goodwill" instead in everyday English.
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