Definition of MARQUIS

marquis

Meanings

Plural: marquis, marquises, marquisses

Noun

  • humorist who wrote about the imaginary life of cockroaches (1878-1937)
  • nobleman (in various countries) ranking above a count
  • 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 letters patent or letters close.
  • Any of various nymphalid butterflies of the Asian genus Bassarona (or Euthalia).

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English markis, from Old French markis, marchis, from Late Latin marchensis, from Old High German marcha and Frankish *marku, from Proto-Germanic *markō, from Proto-Indo-European *mórǵs (“edge, boundary”).
Meaning is “lord of the march”, in sense of march (“border country”).

Synonyms

Don Marquis, Donald Robert Perry Marquis, marquess

Scrabble Score: 18

marquis is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
marquis is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
marquis is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 20

marquis is a valid Words With Friends word