margrave

== English == === Alternative forms === margraf, markgraf, markgrave === Etymology === From Middle Dutch marcgrāve (modern Dutch markgraaf), cognate with Old High German marcgrāvo (modern German Markgraf), from Proto-Germanic *markō (“boundary; boundary marker”) + *grafa (“military rank”), from Latin graphio. More at mark, graft. Compare marchion, marquis, landgrave. === Pronunciation === (UK) IPA(key): /ˈmɑːɡɹeɪv/ (US) IPA(key): /ˈmɑɹɡɹeɪv/ === Noun === margrave (plural margraves) (historical) A feudal era military-administrative officer of comital rank in the Carolingian empire and some successor states, originally in charge of a border area. 1973: Among pulverised heads of stone margraves and electors, reconnoitering a likely-looking cabbage patch, all of a sudden Slothrop picks up the scent of an unmistakable no it can’t be yes it is it’s a REEFER! — Thomas Pynchon, Gravity’s Rainbow (historical) A hereditary ruling prince in certain feudal states of the Holy Roman Empire and elsewhere; the titular equivalent became known as marquis or marquess. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== ==== Translations ==== == French == === Etymology === From Middle Dutch marcgrāve (modern Dutch markgraaf). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /maʁ.ɡʁav/ === Noun === margrave m (plural margraves) a margrave ==== Derived terms ==== margraviat m ==== Related terms ==== marquis m === Noun === margrave f (plural margraves) margravine ==== Synonyms ==== margravine === Further reading === “margrave”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012 == Portuguese == === Pronunciation === Hyphenation: mar‧gra‧ve === Noun === margrave m (plural margraves) margrave (military officer in charge of German border area) === Further reading === “margrave”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026 “margrave”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026 == Spanish == === Etymology === Borrowed from German Markgraf. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /maɾˈɡɾabe/ [maɾˈɣ̞ɾa.β̞e] Rhymes: -abe Syllabification: mar‧gra‧ve === Noun === margrave m (plural margraves) margrave (military-administrative officer) === Further reading === “margrave”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025