marquis

Where does the word "marquis" come from? It comes from Old French marche, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

Marquis’s story begins in Old French: marche meant “a border region.” A border region, from Frankish markon, a boundary. Within Old French, it grew into marchis by medieval. Settled in French for a nobleman who governed a border territory. It reached English by 1300s as marquis. From Old French 'marche', a border region: a marquis guarded the frontier marches. Today, marquis means a nobleman ranking between a duke and a count or earl.

1. Stage 1 · Old French · medieval marche "a border region", a border region, from Frankish markon, a boundary.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval marchis "a lord of a border territory", settled in French for a nobleman who governed a border territory.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s marquis "a nobleman ranking between duke and count", from Old French 'marche', a border region: a marquis guarded the frontier marches.