Word of the Day -- Paladin

Paladin -- a trusted military leader (as for a medieval prince) or a leading champion of a cause.  This last one is what we usually think of when we think of paladin.  We think of a mythical lone man, riding a horse or wandering the dark plains, stamping out evil.  Mystery usually surrounds him/her and they are almost always cloaked in secrecy.  The word comes from the 16 Centure Italian word, paladino, and originally meant imperial officer.  But as with most words, we have taken it and given it new life in the annals of fiction and risen the paladin to an almost god-like state.  And it's good we did, because the world, both real and fiction, needs paladins.