Word
countess
Phoneticscount·ess
US/ˈkaʊntəs/
UK/kˈaʊntɛs/
Definition
n. a woman who has the high social rank of a countess, often because she is married to a count or an earl.
n. a woman holding the title of countess, either as the wife of a count or earl, or as a peeress in her own right.
Examples
“The countess wore a long silk dress.”
“The countess hosted a charity gala at her historic estate.”
“As the last countess of the line, she preserved the family archives with meticulous care.”
Examples
simple
“The countess wore a long silk dress.”
contextual
“The countess hosted a charity gala at her historic estate.”
complex
“As the last countess of the line, she preserved the family archives with meticulous care.”
Usage
In the British peerage, 'countess' is the female equivalent of an 'earl'.
Teaching tip
Learners should note that while 'count' is used in most European systems, the British equivalent is 'earl', but both use 'countess' for the female title.
Synonyms
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/countess