earl

¹

[ url ]

noun

1. a British nobleman of a rank below that of marquis and above that of viscount: called count for a time after the Norman conquest. The wife of an earl is a countess.
2. (in Anglo-Saxon England) a governor of one of the great divisions of England, including East Anglia, Mercia, Northumbria, and Wessex.

Earl

²

or Earle

[ url ]

noun

1. a male given name: from the old English word meaning “noble.”

earl

/ ɜːl /

noun

1. (in the British Isles) a nobleman ranking below a marquess and above a viscount Female equivalentcountess
2. (in Anglo-Saxon England) a royal governor of any of the large divisions of the kingdom, such as Wessex

Word History and Origins

Origin of earl¹

before 900; Middle English erl, Old English eorl; cognate with Old Saxon erl man, Old Norse jarl chieftain

Word History and Origins

Origin of earl¹

Old English eorl; related to Old Norse jarl chieftain, Old Saxon erl man

Example Sentences

The tomb became an enclosed vault after an 18th Century earl raised the roof.

From BBC

Maidwell Hall in Northamptonshire said it was "sobering" to read about the earl's experiences.

From BBC

The earl spoke to his friends and contemporaries, who he says had "locked" their memories away and found solace in sharing their stories with him.

From BBC

The earl is loathe now to talk specifically about the pressures on his two nephews and the rift between them.

From BBC

Some people suggested it belonged to a local earl.

From BBC

Related Words

• aristocrat
• blue blood
• emperor
• patrician