peer of the realm

American  

noun

peers of the realm plural

1. any of a class of peers in Great Britain and Ireland entitled by heredity to sit in the House of Lords.

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peer of the realm British  

noun

1. (in Great Britain and Northern Ireland) any member of the nobility entitled to sit in the House of Lords

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• peers of the realm
  plural

Etymology

Origin of peer of the realm

First recorded in 1585–95

Example Sentences

“You read me a lesson? I? A peer of the realm? And you, from the place where you come from?”

From The Guardian • Feb. 22, 2020

He might have been a peer of the realm, but he was a Jewish guy whose family had moved from Odessa to Shoreditch when he was a kid.

From Slate • May 29, 2018

Tall, gaunt and slightly ungainly, in his snakeskin shoes, chunky rings and rakishly well-tailored suits, Cave resembles nothing so much as a postmillennial hybrid of bookie and peer of the realm.

From New York Times • Jul. 1, 2014

It's a moderately interesting history, but watching a peer of the realm tell you about it can't quite compare with the experience of witnessing the slightly corny magic of panto actually happening.

From The Guardian • Dec. 21, 2012

Accordingly an intimacy was commenced—letters written behind the counter, but dated from the Horse Guards, signed as if the composer were a peer of the realm, were sent in shoals to Foley-place. 

From About London by Ritchie, J. Ewing (James Ewing)