count palatine

American  

noun

counts palatine plural

1. (formerly, in Germany) a count having jurisdiction in his fief or province.

2. Also called earl palatine.  English History. an earl or other county proprietor who exercised royal prerogatives within his county.

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count palatine British  

noun

1. 1. originally an official who administered the king's domains or his justice

   2. later, a count who exercised royal authority in his own domains

2. (in England and Ireland) an earl or other lord of a county palatine

3. (in the late Roman Empire) a palace official who exercised judicial authority

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• counts palatine
  plural

Etymology

Origin of count palatine

First recorded in 1590–1600

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

count palatine

The book was spectacularly ill timed, although it earned Apian a position as court astronomer to Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire and eventually the title of imperial count palatine.

From New York Times ● Jun. 12, 2014

All the country between the Tees and the Tyne was held by the Bishop of Durham; and he was reputed a count palatine, having a separate government.

From The Great Events by Famous Historians, Volume 05 (From Charlemagne to Frederick Barbarossa) by Horne, Charles F. (Charles Francis)

The count palatine John Casimir repaired to their assistance with a considerable force of Germans and English, all equipped and paid by Queen Elizabeth.

From Holland The History of the Netherlands by Grattan, Thomas Colley

The Palatinate Chief among these was the state known as the Palatinate, from the German word Pfalz, a name given generally to any district ruled by a count palatine.

From Hero Tales and Legends of the Rhine by Spence, Lewis

Travel a few miles on, the earl of Chester disappears; and the king surprises you again as count palatine of Lancaster.

From Selections from the Speeches and Writings of Edmund Burke by Burke, Edmund