margrave

[mahr-greyv]

noun

(formerly) the hereditary title of the rulers of certain European states.

History/Historical. a hereditary German title, equivalent to marquis.

(originally) a military governor of a German mark, or border province.

Nearby words

Origin of margrave

1545–55; earlier marcgrave < Middle Dutch, equivalent to marke border (cognate with march²) + grave count (cognate with reeve¹); compare German Markgraf

Related formsmar·gra·vi·al, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for margrave

The Margrave saw at a glance that here was food for his hunger after knowledge concerning abnormal working of the human heart.
Strictly Business|O. Henry
I gathered rapidly and succinctly together all that I knew and all that I guessed of Margrave's existence and arts.
A Strange Story, Complete|Edward Bulwer-Lytton
I turned my astonished gaze back to Sir Philip; yes, unmistakably it was on Margrave that his look was fixed.
A Strange Story, Complete|Edward Bulwer-Lytton
I did not hear Margrave's answer, for at that moment my servant entered with letters.
A Strange Story, Complete|Edward Bulwer-Lytton

He inquired for Margrave at the door, and the maid asked him to go into the library.
The Main Chance|Meredith Nicholson

British Dictionary definitions for margrave

margrave

noun

a German nobleman ranking above a count. Margraves were originally counts appointed to govern frontier provinces, but all had become princes of the Holy Roman Empire by the 12th century

Word Origin for margrave

C16: from Middle Dutch markgrave, literally: count of the march ²

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for margrave

margrave

military governor of a German border province, 1550s, from Middle Dutch markgrave (Dutch markgraaf), literally "count of the border," from Old High German marcgravo; second element from graf "count, earl" (Old High German gravo, gravjo), from West Germanic *grafa "a designation of rank, possibly borrowed from Greek grapheus "scribe." For first element see mark (n.1). Later a hereditary title under the Holy Roman Empire. His wife was a margravine.