Knesselare (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈknɛsəˌlaːrə]) is a village and deelgemeente in the municipality of Aalter and a former municipality located in the Belgian province of East Flanders.

The municipality comprised the towns of Knesselare proper and Ursel [nl].

The municipality's name is derived from the Germanic words "klisse" (herb) and "laar", (a soggy brushwood terrain),[2] and was first attested in 1128.

It was originally a village heerlijkheid, but during the rule of Louis II, Count of Flanders (1330–1384), the area had been split into four different administrations.

Until the 19th century, large parts of the municipality still contains forests and heaths.