marquess
noun
mar·quess ˈmär-kwəs 
variants or marquis
ˈmär-kwəs
mär-ˈkē
plural marquesses or marquises ˈmär-kwə-səz or marquis mär-ˈkē(z)
or marquis mär-ˈkē(z) 1
: a nobleman of hereditary rank in Europe and Japan
2
: a member of the British peerage ranking below a duke and above an earl
marquessate
ˈmär-kwə-sət
noun or marquisate
ˈmär-kwə-zət
-sət
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web In Genoa when staying at the Grand Hotel Savoia the hotel could arrange for a very special afternoon tea— with a marquess at the Palazzo Cattaneo-Adorno, one of the Rolli palaces designated as a World Heritage Site. 
Catherine Sabino, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2021 The Victorian wit sues the Marquess of Queensberry for libel, egged on by the marquess’ son, Lord Alfred. Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2021 Somewhere along the way, Bertie rose to marquess status, so Edith technically outranks her family. Sonia Rao, Washington Post, 20 Sep. 2019 Lansdowne became a marquess at age 21, upon his father’s death, while still a student at Oxford. William Anthony Hay, WSJ, 26 Dec. 2018 The Queen can choose from five titles for a man -- duke, marquess, earl, viscount or baron -- and for a woman -- duchess, marchioness, countess, viscountess and baroness. Angela Dewan, CNN, 19 May 2018 The British hereditary title is directly below baron, with viscounts, earls, marquesses, and dukes above it. Sam Dangremond, Town & Country, 26 June 2018 Baronet is a rank in the British aristocracy, albeit below dukes, marquesses, earls, viscounts, and barons. Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, 12 June 2018 And if none of that is successful, McGregor could bend the Marquess of Queensberry rules to their breaking point in hopes of goading Mayweather into a brawl. Greg Beacham, The Seattle Times, 24 Aug. 2017 See More
Catherine Sabino, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2021 The Victorian wit sues the Marquess of Queensberry for libel, egged on by the marquess’ son, Lord Alfred. Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2021 Somewhere along the way, Bertie rose to marquess status, so Edith technically outranks her family. Sonia Rao, Washington Post, 20 Sep. 2019 Lansdowne became a marquess at age 21, upon his father’s death, while still a student at Oxford. William Anthony Hay, WSJ, 26 Dec. 2018 The Queen can choose from five titles for a man -- duke, marquess, earl, viscount or baron -- and for a woman -- duchess, marchioness, countess, viscountess and baroness. Angela Dewan, CNN, 19 May 2018 The British hereditary title is directly below baron, with viscounts, earls, marquesses, and dukes above it. Sam Dangremond, Town & Country, 26 June 2018 Baronet is a rank in the British aristocracy, albeit below dukes, marquesses, earls, viscounts, and barons. Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, 12 June 2018 And if none of that is successful, McGregor could bend the Marquess of Queensberry rules to their breaking point in hopes of goading Mayweather into a brawl. Greg Beacham, The Seattle Times, 24 Aug. 2017 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English marquis, markis, from Anglo-French marquys, markys, from marche march
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
marquess
noun
mar·quess ˈmär-kwəs
: a British nobleman ranking below a duke and above an earl
marquesses
noun
variants or marquises or marquis
as in viscounts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- viscounts
- dukes
- princes
- earls
- baronets
- margraves
- barons
- esquires
- seigneurs
- princelings
- rajas
- hidalgos
- sheikhs
- marchesi
- counts
- sheiks
- chevaliers
- lordships
- nawabs
- seigniors
- nabobs
- dons
- cavaliers
- noblemen
- masters
- princelets
- knights
- grandees
- lords
- sires
- squires
- country gentlemen
- peers
- milords
- gentlemen
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- peasants
- commoners
- plebeians
- peons
- churls
- cotters
- plebs
- peones
- boors
- fellaheen
- cottars
- fellahin
- proletarians
- toilers