peerage

noun

peer·​age ˈpir-ij How to pronounce peerage (audio)
1
: the body of peers
2
: the rank or dignity of a peer
3
: a book containing a list of peers with their genealogy, history, and titles

Examples of peerage in a Sentence

He was given the peerage after years of devoted service to the community.
Recent Examples on the Web The Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn (a Scottish peerage), and Baron of Carrickfergus (an Irish peerage). Sam Reed, Glamour, 8 Sep. 2022 King Charles' coronation organizer Earl Marshal, the Duke of Norfolk, uniquely inherited the royal responsibility through his peerage title. Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 2 May 2023 During his investigations, Mr. Chanin used an online database that tracks the genealogical history of the British peerage and unearthed a name that looked similar: the Honorable Robert Anthony Rayne. Joshua Needelman, New York Times, 23 Mar. 2023 The fictional Kingdom of Redonda is something of a running in-joke among European artists, who occupy the throne and make up most of its peerage. Clay Risen, New York Times, 12 Sep. 2022 He later was granted a peerage, making Jane a baroness. Annie Goldsmith, Town & Country, 31 May 2022 Though most historians agree that Anne was likely innocent of the crimes she was accused of, she was nonetheless unanimously convicted by a court of the peerage. Lauren Hubbard, Town & Country, 28 Aug. 2022 Rachel Rynda became the 69th Princess Kay of the Milky Way at this year’s fair, a peerage with duties that include whipping up support for the state’s 2,100 dairy farmers for a year. Joe Barrett, WSJ, 1 Sep. 2022 This led to the famous polemic in The Spectator in January in 1964 by Iain Macleod, a senior Tory who had declined to serve under Sir Alec Douglas-Home, as Home had become known after renouncing his peerage. Geoffrey Wheatcroft, The New Republic, 9 Aug. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'peerage.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of peerage was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near peerage

Cite this Entry

“Peerage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/peerage. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

peerage

noun
peer·​age ˈpi(ə)r-ij How to pronounce peerage (audio)
1
2
: a list or register of peers

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