peeress
9.9
A woman who has a noble title, often in Britain, or a woman whose husband was a noble
- noun
- /ˈpɪərəs/
- UK
:
peeresa
- The peeress spoke passionately about the responsibilities that come with her title.
Examples
-
As a peeress of the realm, she was invited to exclusive gatherings at the palace.
-
Commit half the peeresses into prison?
-
Pretty peeress putty in Halliday's hands.
-
The peeress gracefully attended the royal banquet, adorned in elegant attire.
Synonyms
790
2.5
A woman who has a noble title in Britain, for example the wife or female partner of a lord
is the traditional female form of the same rank rather than a neutral term
48
8.6
A noble person with a title who sits in the House of Lords
specifies the female role or spouse rather than any gender-neutral title
noblewoman
vspeeress
2
5.8
A woman from a high social class who has a title
means specifically the female holder or spouse within the British peerage
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Peeress comes from peer (a noble or 'equal') plus the female ending -ess, like in actress, so it means a woman who holds a peer's title in the British system.