noun
marquis
MAH-kwihs
noun
1
A nobleman ranking below a duke and above a count, historically responsible for defending a border region.
"The marquis governed the lands along the frontier."
How to Use Marquis
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA European noble title, ranking between count and duke.
Easily confused with
Word Forms
marquises plural, marquis plural, marquisses plural, Marquises plural
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The _____ governed the lands along the frontier.
Etymology
From Old French "marchis," related to "march" in the sense of a border territory — a marquis was originally a lord who guarded the borders of a kingdom.