noun
-
the rank, title, or dignity of an earl or countess
-
the lands of an earl or countess
Etymology
Origin of earldom
before 1150; Middle English erldom, Old English eorldōm. See earl, -dom,
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They were childhood friends, and the name was short for Lord Porchester, the courtesy title by which he was known until he inherited the earldom.
From The Guardian ● Nov. 11, 2019
Their father, Mark Phillips, turned down an earldom when he married Princess Anne, so they do not have courtesy titles.
From BBC ● May 6, 2019
My aunt, now in her nineties, grew up partly in the house of her grandfather, the heir to an earldom.
From The New Yorker ● Jun. 22, 2018
And I have no idea what’s to come of Lagertha and her earldom, Kalf, and the various bad-guy heirs who want to see Ragnar dead.
From Forbes ● Mar. 19, 2015
On Richard’s return Hugh joined the king and tried to buy back his earldom.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 8 "Hudson River" to "Hurstmonceaux" by Various
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
