margrave

[mahr-greyv] /ˈmɑr greɪv/
noun
1.
(formerly) the hereditary title of the rulers of certain European states.
2.
History/Historical. a hereditary German title, equivalent to marquis.
3.
(originally) a military governor of a German mark, or border province.
Origin
1545-55; earlier marcgrave < Middle Dutch, equivalent to marke border (cognate with march2) + grave count (cognate with reeve1); compare German Markgraf
Related forms
margravial, adjective
British Dictionary definitions for margrave

margrave

/ˈmɑːˌɡreɪv/
noun
1.
a German nobleman ranking above a count. Margraves were originally counts appointed to govern frontier provinces, but all had become princes of the Holy Roman Empire by the 12th century
Word Origin
C16: from Middle Dutch markgrave, literally: count of the march²
Word Origin and History for margrave
n.

military governor of a German border province, 1550s, from Middle Dutch markgrave (Dutch markgraaf), literally "count of the border," from Old High German marcgravo; second element from graf "count, earl" (Old High German gravo, gravjo), from West Germanic *grafa "a designation of rank, possibly borrowed from Greek grapheus "scribe." For first element see mark (n.1). Later a hereditary title under the Holy Roman Empire. His wife was a margravine.