countess

noun

count·​ess ˈkau̇n-təs 

1

: the wife or widow of an earl or count

2

: a woman who holds in her own right the rank of earl or count

Examples of countess in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Porcaroli later expanded on her character, a countess and the stepdaughter of an Italian criminal. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2026

Beyond fancy friends and connections to famous people, what the countess has most of all is game. — Luisa Opalesky, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026

De Lesseps turned a fall from countess to tabloid fixture into a thriving cabaret career. — Maer Roshan, HollywoodReporter, 4 Aug. 2026

Where foreign adventurers once brought conflict to Costa Rica’s coast, a European countess left behind a sanctuary of profound peace. — Donna Hardie-Scott, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

countess

noun

count·​ess ˈkau̇nt-əs 

1

: the wife or widow of a count or an earl

2

: a woman holding the rank of count or earl