viscount
Americannoun
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a nobleman next below an earl or count and next above a baron.
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History/Historical. a deputy of a count or earl.
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(in England) a sheriff.
noun
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(in the British Isles) a nobleman ranking below an earl and above a baron
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(in various countries) a son or younger brother of a count See also vicomte
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(in medieval Europe) the deputy of a count
Etymology
Origin of viscount
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English viscounte, from Anglo-French; Old French visconte, from vis vice 3 + counte count 2, translation of Medieval Latin vicecomes
Explanation
A viscount is a member of the nobility, a man whose title gives him a rank just above a baron. In the United Kingdom, viscount is sometimes a "courtesy title," bestowed at some point during the recipient's live, while others are born into the title. If you're hanging out with noblemen, you may meet the Viscount of Arbuthnot or the Viscount Colville of Culross. The equivalent title for a woman is vicountess. Both words come from Latin roots, vice, "deputy," and comes, "nobleman."
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.
Former lovers, a marquise and a viscount, pass the time in decadent games of destruction in pre-revolutionary France.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2019
Queue up these tunes, and your pup will be able to wait out storms with the refinement and sophistication of a forlorn viscount peering out his estate’s rainy window.
From Slate ● May 16, 2019
Another group of deniers, led by a British viscount with a degree in classical architecture, asked to file an amicus brief in the case.
From The Verge ● Mar. 22, 2018
Now he’s back on stage taking on the complex character of Valmont, the wicked viscount in Les Liaisons Dangereuses at the Donmar Warehouse in London.
From The Guardian ● Jan. 26, 2016
First came the people with actual inherited titles, such as baron or viscount; then came the wealthy landowners, and then the prosperous businessmen.
From "The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book I: The Mysterious Howling" by Maryrose Wood
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