marquis
noun
a nobleman ranking next below a duke and above an earl or count.
marquis
1 American
[mahr-kwis, mahr-kee, ma r -kee]
/ ˈmɑr kwɪs, mɑrˈki, marˈki /
noun
plural
marquises, marquis
Marquis
2
American
[mahr-kwis]
/ ˈmɑr kwɪs /
noun
Marquis
1
British
/ ˈmɑːkwɪs /
noun
marquis
2
British
/ ˈmɑːkwɪs, marki, mɑːˈkiː /
noun
Etymology
Origin of marquis
1250–1300; Middle English markis < Middle French marquis < Italian marchese < Medieval Latin *( comēs ) marc ( h ) ēnsis (count) of a borderland. See march 2, -ese
Explanation
A marquis is a nobleman. If you're a marquis, your rank is higher than a baron or a count, but lower than a duke or a prince. In systems like monarchies, where people inherit a certain rank, a marquis is one of the title given to men. The French spelling, marquis, is common in most parts of Europe, although in Britain they prefer marquess. Sometimes being a marquis includes some real power to rule a territory, but it's more often just an honorary title. The equivalent for a woman is being a marchioness.
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.
Hilton agrees to concede defeat when Villaraigosa promises to make him the marquis of Huntington Beach.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 31, 2025
A 2005 biography of Bradford suggested she was indeed descended from lofty stock by way of her mother, who was, it said, the illegitimate daughter of a marquis.
From BBC • Nov. 25, 2024
What keeps the whole thing from drifting completely off into the ether is how Mrs. Harris and the marquis bond over the loss of a loved one.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 15, 2022
Daly presented her with a five-carat marquis diamond ring.
From Golf Digest • Apr. 20, 2020
The marquis was 19 when he left France and reported to General Washington in Philadelphia in 1777.
From "George Washington, Spymaster" by Thomas B. Allen
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.
