baronetage

1 9.9

The group of people who have an inherited title 'Sir' passed down in families

noun
/ˈbɛrəˌnɪtɪdʒ/

: baronetazgo

He inherited his title from his father, who was prominently noted in the baronetage.

Examples

The baronetage lists all baronets in England, detailing their lineage and titles.
There's Burke's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage of the United Kingdom.

23 Paces to Baker Street (1956)
Sir Walter, who surrounds himself with mirrors, never tires of rereading the text that confirms his identity: he is "a man who never takes up any book but the Baronetage" (3), the book in which he sees himself reflected in the same way again and again.

Academic text (2007)
Many historical figures can be found in the baronetage, showcasing the lineage of the British nobility.

Synonyms

baronetcy

vsbaronetage

1 9.9

A title passed down in a family that gives someone social status in Britain

refers instead to the whole body of title holders or the rank collectively

Surface Forms

baronetage singular

baronetages plural

Morphology

baronetage = baronet (semi-transparent) = baron + et + age

The word is clearly based on 'baronet', but the collective or dignitary sense of '-age' is somewhat specialized rather than fully predictable.

Etymology

Baronetage comes from baronet, which joins baron and the small ending -et, so a baronet was originally a 'little' or junior baron. The ending -age adds the idea of a 'group' or rank, so baronetage is the 'group' or rank of baronets, explaining its modern meaning.