An earl has the title Earl of [X] when the title originates from a placename, or Earl [X] when the title comes from a surname. In either case, he is referred to as Lord [X], and his wife as Lady [X].

Earl is the oldest title and rank of English nobles, and it was also the highest, until 1337, when Edward the Black Prince was created duke of Cornwall by Edward III.

The meaning of EARL is a member of the British peerage ranking below a marquess and above a viscount.

Britain's peerage system, which dates to Anglo-Saxon times, consists of five ranks: duke, marquess, earl, viscount and baron, according to Debrett's, a leading source of information on …

Earl definition: a British nobleman of a rank below that of marquis and above that of viscount: called count for a time after the Norman conquest. The wife of an earl is a countess..

EARL definition: 1. (the title of) a British man of high social rank, between a marquis and a viscount: 2. (the…. Learn more.

Aug 10, 2025 · A surname originating as an occupation for service in the household of an earl, or from a nickname. quotations

Definition of earl noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

earl, n. meanings, etymology, pronunciation and more in the Oxford English Dictionary

Jul 24, 2024 · Known as the peerage system, this noble hierarchy consists of five ranks today: duke, marquess, earl, viscount, and baron. The title of earl — the oldest in the peerage system …