marquis

mar-quis · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    A nobleman ranking above a count and below a duke in European nobility; the equivalent of the British marquess.

  2. 2.

    (historical) A military commander appointed to guard border territories.

Forms

plural: marquises

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    Marquis de Sade — infamous French nobleman whose name gave rise to "sadism"
  • •
    marquis cut — a boat-shaped cut for gemstones

Related words

Antonyms: commoner
See also: count, duke, marquess, nobleman
Synonyms: marquess, nobleman, peer

Etymology

From Old French marchis ("ruler of a border area"), from marche ("border, frontier"), from Frankish marka ("boundary"). Related to English march (border region). The title originally designated a count or lord responsible for defending the marches (border territories).