earl Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a British peer ranking below a marquess and above a viscount

WordNet

Earl noun
Etymology
OE. eorl, erl, AS. eorl man, noble; akin to OS. erl boy, man, Icel. jarl nobleman, count, and possibly to Gr. male, Zend arshan man. Cf. Jarl.
Definitions
  1. A nobleman of England ranking below a marquis, and above a viscount. The rank of an earl corresponds to that of a count (comte) in France, and graf in Germany. Hence the wife of an earl is still called countess. See Count.
Earl noun
Definitions
  1. (Zoöl.) The needlefish. Ireland

Webster 1913