marquis
noun
a nobleman ranking next below a duke and above an earl or count.
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marquis
1 American
[mahr-kwis, mahr-kee, ma r -kee]
/ ˈmɑr kwɪs, mɑrˈki, marˈki /
noun
-
marquises,
plural
-
marquis
plural
Marquis
2
American
[mahr-kwis]
/ ˈmɑr kwɪs /
noun
Marquis
1
British
/ ˈmɑːkwɪs /
noun
marquis
2
British
/ ˈmɑːkwɪs, marki, mɑːˈkiː /
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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.
See Examples For:
Gianfrancesco I, the first marquis, set the tone in the 1420s by inviting the Padua-based humanist Vittorino da Feltre, whose new Mantua academy created a template for Renaissance education.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
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
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
Marquis Brown always reports the job scams he encounters on LinkedIn and marks fishy emails for spam.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 5, 2026
On a summer afternoon, his daughters, Gabrielle and Katerina, sit at the Sunset Marquis bar, recounting their father’s remarkable life — particularly his championing of soccer and his contributions to the sport.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
David Prystajko, 44, was found dead at a property on Marquis Road on Saturday 22 November 2025.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
Vérots reviewed the Marquis de Cuevas ballet company’s performance of “Les Sylphides.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026
In 1824 the Marquis de Lafayette, the great French champion of American independence, paid a final visit to America.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
“If those marquises came back to life and saw this house, they would surely die again,” joked Elayne Clavel, 26, wife of musician Villa.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 18, 2023
He became a close friend of counts, marquises and businesspeople, too.
From New York Times ● Oct. 18, 2014
The list was spattered with landowners, containing 11 dukes, six marquises, 14 earls and nine viscounts.
From BBC ● Apr. 18, 2013
The fanciest girls are called marquises, while those who adorn the parks are known as bucoliques.
From Time Magazine Archive
Phil was not used to meeting marquises; few work on construction gangs in the Southwest or are seen in New England villages.
From The Old Blood by Frederick Palmer
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