marchioness
Americannoun
noun
-
the wife or widow of a marquis
-
a woman who holds the rank of marquis
Gender
See -ess.
Etymology
Origin of marchioness
1770–80; < Medieval Latin marchiōnissa, equivalent to marchiōn- (stem of marchiō ) marquis + -issa -ess
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.
The costumes, by Vanessa Sannino, are luxuriously eccentric: Françoise Gillard, in the role of a marchioness, looks like a fabulous golden beehive.
From New York Times • Jun. 23, 2022
The Botin family is part of Spain’s aristocracy - the King of Spain made Botin’s mother a marchioness in 2008.
From Reuters • Jan. 31, 2020
“Basically, I became a marchioness because I married a marquis,” she says patiently, “and a marquis is the son of a duke.”
From Washington Post • Mar. 12, 2011
“My grandmother perennially gave joke presents,” she said, referring to the marchioness of Dufferin and Ava.
From New York Times • Dec. 21, 2010
There is a delicate, refined-looking, little marchioness here, who is remarkable as being the only known Italian lady without a cavalier.
From Pencillings by the Way Written During Some Years of Residence and Travel in Europe by Willis, N. Parker
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
