n. pl. mar·che·si (-zē) 1. An Italian nobleman ranking above a count and below a prince. 2. Used as the title for such a nobleman. [Italian, from Medieval Latin (comēs) marcēnsis, (count) of the border, from marca, border region, of Germanic origin; see merg- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
n. pl. mar·che·se (-zā, -zĕ) 1. The wife or widow of a marchese. 2. An Italian noblewoman ranking above a countess and below a princess. 3. Used as the title for such a noblewoman. [Italian, feminine of marchese, marchese; see MARCHESE.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.







