margrave

[ mahr-greyv ]

noun
  1. (formerly) the hereditary title of the rulers of certain European states.

  2. History/Historical. a hereditary German title, equivalent to marquis.

  1. (originally) a military governor of a German mark, or border province.

Origin of margrave

1
1545–55; earlier marcgrave<Middle Dutch, equivalent to marke border (cognate with march2) + grave count (cognate with reeve1); compare German Markgraf

Other words from margrave

  • mar·gra·vi·al, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use margrave in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for margrave

margrave

/ (ˈmɑːˌɡreɪv) /


noun
  1. a German nobleman ranking above a count. Margraves were originally counts appointed to govern frontier provinces, but all had become princes of the Holy Roman Empire by the 12th century

Origin of margrave

1
C16: from Middle Dutch markgrave, literally: count of the march ²

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