earl

(ûrl)

1. A British nobleman next in rank above a viscount and below a marquis, corresponding to a count in continental Europe.

2. Used as a title for such a nobleman.

[Middle English erl, nobleman of high rank, from Old English eorl.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

earl

(ɜːl)

1. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) (in the British Isles) a nobleman ranking below a marquess and above a viscount. Female equivalent: countess

2. (Historical Terms) (in Anglo-Saxon England) a royal governor of any of the large divisions of the kingdom, such as Wessex

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

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

earl

(ɜrl)

n.

a British nobleman of a rank below that of marquis and above that of viscount: called a count for a time after the Norman Conquest. The wife of an earl is a countess.

[before 900; Middle English erl, Old English eorl; c. Old Saxon, Old High German erl man, Old Norse jarl chieftain]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

earl - a British peer ranking below a marquess and above a viscount

peer - a nobleman (duke or marquis or earl or viscount or baron) who is a member of the British peerage

Translations

إيرل: لَقَب شَرَف إنجليزي

earljarl

GrafEarl

conde

jaarli

comte

gróf

jarl

conte

comes

grafas

grāfs

graaf

jarl

conte

граф

grof

Jarl

kont

伯爵

earl

[ɜːl] N → conde m

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

earl

[ˈɜː^rl] n → comte m
the Earl of ... → le Comte de ...

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

earl

n → Graf m

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

earl

[ɜːl] n → conte m

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

earl

(əːl) noun

a British nobleman between a marquis and a viscount in rank.

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

Bannatyne, secretary to John Knox, recounts a singular course of oppression practised on one of those titulars abbots, by the Earl of Cassilis in Ayrshire, whose extent of feudal influence was so wide that he was usually termed the King of Carrick.

The Earl Of Cassilis' Tyranny against a quick (i.e.

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Politian is expected Hourly in Rome -- Politian, Earl of Leicester!

Alas, proud Earl, Thou dost forget thyself, remembering me!

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When five o'clock arrived, Arthur proposed without any embarrassment this time--to take me with him up to 'the Hall,' in order that I might make acquaintance with the Earl of Ainslie, who had taken it for the season, and renew acquaintance with his daughter Lady Muriel.

Yet I noted, and was glad to note, evidence of a far deeper feeling than mere friendly regard, in her meeting with Arthur though this was, as I gathered, an almost daily occurrence--and the conversation between them, in which the Earl and I were only occasional sharers, had an ease and a spontaneity rarely met with except between very old friends: and, as I knew that they had not known each other for a longer period than the summer which was now rounding into autumn, I felt certain that 'Love,' and Love alone, could explain the phenomenon.

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SEVERAL days after Norman of Torn's visit to the castle of Leicester, a young knight appeared before the Earl's gates demanding admittance to have speech with Simon de Montfort.

"He has done me a great service, and I be under monstrous obligations to him, but he be, nathless, the Outlaw of Torn and I the daughter of an earl and a king's sister."

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But are you not the only child of the late Earl of Huntingdon?"

"I am, sire, though there be some who say that Robin Hood's father was formerly the rightful Earl of Huntingdon.

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'I am Yvonne, the daughter of Earl Dorm of the Hills,' said the damsel,

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So Godrich, Earl of Cornwall, was chosen to guard the Princess.

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