marquis
marquis Lexical Profile
marquis Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A nobleman in various European countries ranking above a count (or earl in the British peerage) and below a duke.
"The historical portrait depicted a French marquis wearing the formal court attire of the eighteenth century."
Word Nuance & Usage
In the British peerage, the equivalent title is typically spelled 'marquess', whereas 'marquis' is standard for continental European nobility and Scottish titles. Do not confuse with 'marquee', which refers to a large tent or a sign over a theater entrance.
• Rhymes for marquis
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Old French 'marchis', meaning a ruler of a border area, from 'marche' (borderland or frontier), which is of Frankish origin and related to Old English 'mearc' (boundary). Historically, these nobles held greater authority than counts because they were entrusted with defending the outer frontiers of a kingdom.