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

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

However, in 1647 his title was formally admitted by Wolfgang, count palatine of Neuburg.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Slice 4 "Bradford, William" to "Brequigny, Louis" by Various

What happiness is that to leave the home Of the Waywode, my father, for the house Of some count palatine, a grateful bride?

From Demetrius by Schiller, Friedrich

About this time he received from his brother Louis the Saxon palatinate, over which he strengthened his authority by marrying Sophia, sister of Adalbert, count of Sommerschenburg, a former count palatine.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 3 "Helmont, Jean" to "Hernosand" by Various