noun
- plural of squirearchy; the landed gentry as a class, especially in rural England; government or rule by country squires
Usage: historical; British
Examples
- The squirearchies of various counties maintained their influence well into the 19th century.
- Local squirearchies often controlled both land and political power in rural districts.
- The decline of traditional squirearchies marked a shift in British social structure.
- These squirearchies represented the old feudal order that was gradually disappearing.
- The novel depicted the conflicts between emerging industrial wealth and established squirearchies.