count palatine

American  

noun

counts palatine plural

1. (formerly, in Germany) a count having jurisdiction in his fief or province.

2. Also called earl palatine.  English History. an earl or other county proprietor who exercised royal prerogatives within his county.

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count palatine British  

noun

1. 1. originally an official who administered the king's domains or his justice

   2. later, a count who exercised royal authority in his own domains

2. (in England and Ireland) an earl or other lord of a county palatine

3. (in the late Roman Empire) a palace official who exercised judicial authority

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• counts palatine
  plural

Etymology

Origin of count palatine

First recorded in 1590–1600

Example Sentences

The book was spectacularly ill timed, although it earned Apian a position as court astronomer to Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire and eventually the title of imperial count palatine.

From New York Times • Jun. 12, 2014

The Palatinate Chief among these was the state known as the Palatinate, from the German word Pfalz, a name given generally to any district ruled by a count palatine.

From Hero Tales and Legends of the Rhine by Spence, Lewis

The courage of the count palatine revived, and he labored assiduously to arouse his Protestant brethren.

From A Modern History, From the Time of Luther to the Fall of Napoleon For the Use of Schools and Colleges by Lord, John

The king of Bohemia was designated as cupbearer, the margrave of Brandenburg as chamberlain, the count palatine as seneschal, and the duke of Saxony as marshal.

From A Source Book of Medi?val History Documents Illustrative of European Life and Institutions from the German Invasions to the Renaissance by Ogg, Frederic Austin

However, in 1647 his title was formally admitted by Wolfgang, count palatine of Neuburg.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Slice 4 "Bradford, William" to "Brequigny, Louis" by Various