peerage
Noun: 1. The collective body of peers in a country: Refers to all the people who hold the title of peer (such as duke, marquess, earl, viscount, or baron) in a particular kingdom or state, considered as a single group or class. 2. The rank or dignity of a peer: The status or title of being a peer. 3. A book listing peers and their families: A published volume containing the genealogical details and coats of arms of the peerage.
The word "peerage" is used to discuss the aristocracy as an institution, the act of granting a noble title, or the reference literature documenting this class. - It is often preceded by the definite article "the" when referring to the collective body (e.g., the peerage). - It can be used with prepositions like "to", "of", or "into" (e.g., elevated to the peerage, a member of the peerage).
Referring to the collective body:
- He was a wealthy industrialist who sought entry into the British peerage.
- The reform aimed to reduce the political power of the hereditary peerage.
Referring to the rank or title:
- She was granted a peerage for her lifelong service to charity.
- His peerage was conferred by the Queen in the 1990s.
Referring to the reference book:
- You can find the lineage of that family in Debrett's Peerage.
- The new edition of the peerage has been updated with recent creations.
- "Life peerage": A peerage (usually the rank of baron or baroness) granted for the recipient's lifetime, not hereditary.
- As a life peer, she holds a life peerage and can sit in the House of Lords.
- "Hereditary peerage": A peerage that can be inherited by the holder's heir.
- The number of hereditary peerages with the right to sit in the Lords has been reduced.
- Peer (noun): A member of the nobility (e.g., a duke, an earl).
- Several peers opposed the bill.
- Peeress (noun): A woman who holds a peerage in her own right or is the wife or widow of a peer.
- Peerless (adjective): Having no equal; matchless. (Note: This is a distinct word meaning "without peer," not directly a variant of "peerage").
- Aristocracy: The highest class in certain societies, typically comprising people of noble birth holding hereditary titles.
- Nobility: The group of people belonging to the noble class in a country.
- House of Lords (context-specific): In the UK, this is the chamber of Parliament composed largely of members of the peerage.
- To be raised to the peerage: To be granted the title and dignity of a peer.
- After his diplomatic success, he was raised to the peerage as Baron West.
- To elevate someone to the peerage: To confer a peerage upon someone.
- The Prime Minister decided to elevate the scientist to the peerage.
- the peers of a kingdom considered as a group