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View synonyms for

earl

1

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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

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noun

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

earl

/ ɜː /

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
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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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
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Word History and Origins

Origin of earl1

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

Examples have not been reviewed.

He inherited it following his father's death in 2015, and began to think more deeply about what it meant to be an earl.

From

Its inhabitants are those of “there will always be an England” England: stern vicars, timid curates, lords and earls, penniless titled wastrels living on allowances from their uncles, imperious aunts, upper-crust twits.

From

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

From

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

From

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

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