noun
- Plural of marquessate; the rank, title, or domain of a marquess (a nobleman ranking below a duke and above an earl).
Usage: British nobility term; formal/historical
Examples
- Several marquessates were created during the reign of Queen Victoria.
- The marquessates of England held considerable influence in Parliament.
- He inherited two marquessates from his father's estate.
- The marquessates were distributed among the noble families after the treaty.
- Historical records document the boundaries of the ancient marquessates.