earl
noun
\ ˈər(-ə)l
\
\
Definition of earl
: a member of the British peerage ranking below a marquess and above a viscount
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Other Words from earl
earldom
\ ˈər(-ə)l-dəm
\
noun
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noun
Examples of earl in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
There are Degas ballerinas by the bushel, Rubens by the acre, and Venetian cityscapes sufficient to decorate the parlor of any 18th-century earl. — Jonathan Gold, Los Angeles Times, "The oranges that enraptured a millionaire," 18 July 2019 Additionally, Prince Edward, the Queen's youngest child, wanted his kids to be styled as the children of an earl, rather than as prince or princess. — Temi Adebowale, Harper's BAZAAR, "Here's What Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank's Future Children's Titles Will Be," 2 Oct. 2018 The British hereditary title is directly below baron, with viscounts, earls, marquesses, and dukes above it. — Sam Dangremond, Town & Country, "6 Things to Know About Jack Brooksbank's Family Ahead of His Wedding to Princess Eugenie," 26 June 2018 There’s nothing quite like a prince or duke — or earl — in uniform. — Maura Hohman, PEOPLE.com, "Prince William Is Strikingly Handsome as His Alter Ego the Earl of Strathearn," 5 July 2018 Lord Dundonald, an impecunious earl with an inventive streak, patented the processing of smelting coke—a key development, converting coal to a nearly pure carbon state that produced an easy-to-work iron. — Charles R. Morris, WSJ, "‘Energy’ Review: The Path to Power," 21 June 2018 Those standing are an array of earls, viscounts and even a duke. — The Economist, "Peers fight for a place in the House of Lords," 21 June 2018 Baronet is a rank in the British aristocracy, albeit below dukes, marquesses, earls, viscounts, and barons. — Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, "Everything We Know About Jack Brooksbank's Family Ahead of the Royal Wedding," 12 June 2018 The castle-like tower, which had a nuclear bunker next to it during the Cold War, was built in 1798 as a folly project for the wife of an earl who wanted to know if a beacon light lit at the tower could be seen from her home 22 miles away. — New York Times, "36 Hours in the Cotswolds," 17 May 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'earl.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for earl
earl
noun
English Language Learners Definition of earl
: a high-ranking member of the British nobility
See the full definition for earl in the English Language Learners Dictionary
earl
noun
\ ˈərl
\
\
Kids Definition of earl
: a member of the British nobility who ranks below a marquess and above a viscount
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