marquess
mar.quess or mar.quis or mar.quis.ate \'ma:r-kw*s\ \'ma:r-kw*s, ma:r-'ke-\ \-kw*-s*z\ \-'ke-(z)\ \'ma:r-kw*-s*t\ \'ma:r-kw*-z*t, -s*t\ n or mar.quess.es or mar.quis.es or mar.quis [ME marquis, markis, fr. MF marquis, alter. of marchis,] pl fr. marche march : a nobleman of hereditary rank in Europe and Japan; specif : a me mber of the second grade of the peerage in Great Britain ranking below a duke and above an earl - mar.ques.sate n