plural marquesses or marquises
ˈmär-kwə-səz 
or marquis
mär-ˈkē(z)
or marquis
mär-ˈkē(z)
1
: a nobleman of hereditary rank in Europe and Japan
2
: a member of the British peerage ranking below a duke and above an earl
Examples of marquess in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Seat of the Cholmondeley family for centuries, the Norfolk pile has also become one of the nation’s most galvanizing stages for contemporary art, thanks to David Cholmondeley, the filmmaker seventh marquess of the line, and his wife, Rose.
—
Mitchell Owens, Architectural Digest, 2 Aug. 2024
An early Titian masterpiece — once looted by Napolean’s troops and a part of royal collections for centuries — caused a stir when it was stolen from the home of a British marquess in 1995.
—Niha Masih, Washington Post, 4 July 2024
With James' support, George became an earl, a marquess and ultimately a duke (a rarity for nonroyals).
—Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 9 Apr. 2024
Upon the death of the painting’s next owner, a Scottish landowner, it was sold by Christie’s to John Alexander Thynne, the fourth marquess of Bath, England.
—Mirna Alsharif, NBC News, 16 June 2024
At last, definitive advice on how to address the wife of a younger son of a marquess; the royal heir apparent of a Malaysian state; the territorial commander of the Salvation Army; the acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harper's Magazine, 16 Oct. 2023
Family members also lent important pieces: the 7th marquess of Cholmondeley, for example, provided a series of magnificent portraits by Sargent from the collection at his home, Houghton Hall, in Norfolk, England.
—James Reginato, Town & Country, 2 Mar. 2023
Franco’s forces and his fascist allies to an Andalusian marquess who sets out to hunt communists with his personal death squad to a militia woman who saves the life of a right-wing lawyer out of compassion.
—Liza Foreman, Variety, 6 Nov. 2022
In Genoa when staying at the Grand Hotel Savoia the hotel could arrange for a very special afternoon tea— with a marquess at the Palazzo Cattaneo-Adorno, one of the Rolli palaces designated as a World Heritage Site.
—Catherine Sabino, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2021
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Mitchell Owens, Architectural Digest, 2 Aug. 2024
An early Titian masterpiece — once looted by Napolean’s troops and a part of royal collections for centuries — caused a stir when it was stolen from the home of a British marquess in 1995.
—Niha Masih, Washington Post, 4 July 2024
With James' support, George became an earl, a marquess and ultimately a duke (a rarity for nonroyals).
—Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 9 Apr. 2024
Upon the death of the painting’s next owner, a Scottish landowner, it was sold by Christie’s to John Alexander Thynne, the fourth marquess of Bath, England.
—Mirna Alsharif, NBC News, 16 June 2024
At last, definitive advice on how to address the wife of a younger son of a marquess; the royal heir apparent of a Malaysian state; the territorial commander of the Salvation Army; the acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harper's Magazine, 16 Oct. 2023
Family members also lent important pieces: the 7th marquess of Cholmondeley, for example, provided a series of magnificent portraits by Sargent from the collection at his home, Houghton Hall, in Norfolk, England.
—James Reginato, Town & Country, 2 Mar. 2023
Franco’s forces and his fascist allies to an Andalusian marquess who sets out to hunt communists with his personal death squad to a militia woman who saves the life of a right-wing lawyer out of compassion.
—Liza Foreman, Variety, 6 Nov. 2022
In Genoa when staying at the Grand Hotel Savoia the hotel could arrange for a very special afternoon tea— with a marquess at the Palazzo Cattaneo-Adorno, one of the Rolli palaces designated as a World Heritage Site.
—Catherine Sabino, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Marquess.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marquess. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
marquess
noun
mar·quess
ˈmär-kwəs
1
: a nobleman of hereditary rank in Europe and Japan
2
: a British nobleman ranking below a duke and above an earl
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share