Peerage

Peerage

Noun · /ˈpɪərɪdʒ/ · the system of titled nobility; a book listing all peers

Definition

Three related meanings: 1. The rank or title of a peer (duke, marquess, earl, viscount, baron). 2. The body of peers collectively — all the titled nobles as a group. 3. A reference book listing all peers and their families (such as Burke's Peerage or Debrett's Peerage). In all cases, the word connects to the British system of hereditary and life titles.

Origin

From Old French parage (equality of rank), from per (equal), ultimately from Latin par (equal). A peer was originally an equal — someone of the same rank. In feudal England, the great lords who held land directly from the king were peers of each other. Over centuries, peerage became the formal system of five ranks: duke, marquess, earl, viscount, and baron.