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.

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 the British …

The word "earl" comes from the Old English word "eorl," which means "warrior" or "nobleman." Earls typically hold land known as an earldom, but they may also hold other titles, such as baron or viscount.

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

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

earl (ɜrl) n. a British nobleman of a rank below that of marquis and above that of viscount: called a count for a time after the Norman Conquest. The wife of an earl is a countess.

When a duke or a marquess has an earldom as his second title, this is ‘by courtesy’ given to his eldest son: thus the heir of the Duke of Northumberland is Earl Percy while that of the Marquess of …

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

EARL definition: a male given name: from the old English word meaning “noble.” See examples of Earl used in a sentence.