Marquis

Noun

 * 1) A nobleman in England, France, and Germany, of a rank next below that of duke, but above a count. Originally, the marquis was an officer whose duty was to guard the marches or frontiers of the kingdom. The office has ceased, and the name is now a mere title conferred by patent.

Derived terms

 * marchioness
 * marquee
 * marquisate

Thesaurus
Brahman, archduke, aristocrat, armiger, baron, baronet, blue blood, count, daimio, duke, earl, esquire, gentleman, grand duke, grandee, hidalgo, lace-curtain, laird, landgrave, lord, lordling, magnate, magnifico, margrave, noble, nobleman, optimate, palsgrave, patrician, peer, seigneur, seignior, silk-stocking, squire, swell, thoroughbred, upper-cruster, viscount, waldgrave

Alternative forms

 * marquess

Etymology

 * marquis; : markis, marchis; : marchensis; : marcha. *undefined:, from, from.

Meaning is “lord of the march”, in sense of march#Etymology 2:.

Noun

 * 1) marquess (title of nobility)

Etymology
marchis:, from the same root as marcher: