peerage

[peer-ij]

See more synonyms for peerage on Thesaurus.com

noun

the body of peers of a country or state.
the rank or dignity of a peer.
a book listing the peers and giving their genealogies.

Origin of peerage

First recorded in 1425–75, peerage is from the late Middle English word perage. See peer¹, -age

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for peerage

Contemporary Examples

It was intended, instead, to be based on “peerage,” where all players are equal.
How Four Upstarts Built and Crashed the Anti-Facebook
Jake Whitney
November 12, 2014
Think aesthetics as politics, and academic credentials as peerage.
‘Downton Abbey’ Democrats May Cost their Party the Senate
Lloyd Green
March 24, 2014
Duchess is the highest rank in the English peerage (in descending order the ranks go duke, marquess, earl, viscount, and baron).
Kate Middleton: Why Be a Duchess When You Can Be a Princess?
Tom Sykes
August 5, 2013
But Blair has said publicly that he does not want a peerage.
Tony Blair May Be Planning a Political Comeback but in What Role It’s Hard to Imagine
Peter Popham
May 5, 2012

Historical Examples

And I was within an ace of becoming an ornament of the British peerage.
The Bacillus of Beauty
Harriet Stark
A Peerage, half composed of journalists, philosophers, and authors!
Alice, or The Mysteries, Complete
Edward Bulwer-Lytton
I hope he will be elevated in the peerage: he looks as if he wanted it so!
Vivian Grey
Earl of Beaconsfield, Benjamin Disraeli
He had read about her in a peerage at his sister's book-shop the previous day.
The Market-Place
Harold Frederic
I can only say, sir, that with your principles you would not marry into the peerage.
Davenport Dunn, Volume 2 (of 2)
Charles James Lever

British Dictionary definitions for peerage

peerage

noun

the whole body of peers; aristocracy
the position, rank, or title of a peer
(esp in the British Isles) a book listing the peers and giving genealogical and other information about them

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 peerage

n.

mid-15c., "peers collectively," from peer (n.) + -age. Probably on model of Old French parage.

peerage

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Related Words

Examples from the Web for peerage

Contemporary Examples

It was intended, instead, to be based on “peerage,” where all players are equal.

Think aesthetics as politics, and academic credentials as peerage.

Duchess is the highest rank in the English peerage (in descending order the ranks go duke, marquess, earl, viscount, and baron).

But Blair has said publicly that he does not want a peerage.

Historical Examples

And I was within an ace of becoming an ornament of the British peerage.

A Peerage, half composed of journalists, philosophers, and authors!

I hope he will be elevated in the peerage: he looks as if he wanted it so!

He had read about her in a peerage at his sister's book-shop the previous day.

I can only say, sir, that with your principles you would not marry into the peerage.

peerage

Word Origin and History for peerage

n.

Origin of peerage