marchesa

noun

mar·​che·​sa mär-ˈkā-zə 

plural marchese mär-ˈkā-(ˌ)zā 

: an Italian woman holding the rank of a marchese : marchioness

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

The marchesa was painted in her prime by Giovanni Boldini in 1908; the bold brush strokes, confident pose and penetrating gaze perfectly sum up a woman whose aim in life was to be nothing less than a work of art. —Cath Pound, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2018

At the request of Les Modes, a French fashion magazine, Boldini’s painting of the marchesa was exhibited at the couturier Jacques Doucet’s fashion house in Paris, with his creations displayed around it. —Cath Pound, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2018

Word History

Etymology

Italian, feminine of marchese

First Known Use

1754, in the meaning defined above