viscount

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a member of the British or certain other peerages ranking below an earl or count and above a baron

   The viscount took his seat in the procession between the earl and the baron.

From Anglo-Norman viscounte, through Old French visconte from Medieval Latin vicecomes, literally 'deputy count,' built from vice, 'in place of,' + comes, 'companion or count.' The title developed into a hereditary rank between earl or count and baron.

Topics