countess

noun

count·​ess ˈkau̇n-təs How to pronounce countess (audio)
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 Another story took him to a private cruise ship for the ultra-rich, which serves in the novel as a home for Campbell’s mother-in-law, a countess. Anna Russell, The New Yorker, 17 June 2024 Mian told the Associated Press (and other news outlets) that Gunther came from a long line of dogs that inherited a ton of money from a German countess back in the day. Korin Miller, Women's Health, 1 Feb. 2023 Daniel Day-Lewis stars as an upper-class lawyer caught between his fiancée (Winona Ryder) and a controversial countess (Michelle Pfeiffer). Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 9 Mar. 2024 Julianne Moore is a countess conniving her way to the top! Kirsty Hatcher, Peoplemag, 1 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for countess 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'countess.' 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

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of countess was in the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near countess

Cite this Entry

“Countess.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/countess. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

countess

noun
count·​ess ˈkau̇nt-əs How to pronounce countess (audio)
1
: the wife or widow of a count or an earl
2
: a woman holding the rank of count or earl
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