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

Having married Gertrude, the widow of Henry the Proud, he was invested in 1143 with the duchy of Bavaria, and resigned his office as count palatine.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 3, Part 1, Slice 1 "Austria, Lower" to "Bacon" by Various

Travel a few miles on, the earl of Chester disappears; and the king surprises you again as count palatine of Lancaster.

From Selections from the Speeches and Writings of Edmund Burke by Burke, Edmund

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

Having accompanied Henry on a campaign into Hungary in 1063, he received large gifts of crown estates, and obtained the office of count palatine in Saxony.

From The Project Gutenberg Encyclopedia Volume 1 of 28 by Project Gutenberg