Home › Words › E › earldomearldom/ˈəɹldəm/earldom means the rank of being an earl.earldom is pronounced /ˈəɹldəm/.EtymologyFrom Middle English erldom, from Old English eorldōm, equivalent to earl + -dom. Compare English jarldom. Cognate also with Scots eirldome, ȝerledom, erldom (“earldom”).nounThe rank of being an earl.e.g.“And, look when I am king, claim thou of me / The earldom of Hereford, and all the movables / Whereof the king my brother was possess'd.” — c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[The territory controlled by an earl.Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).Words closest in meaningBy meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.earlship 88% match — The rank or status of earl. vs earldom →earl 81% match — A British or Irish nobleman next in rank above a viscount and below a marquess; equivalent to a European count. A female using the style is termed a countess. vs earldom →ealdormanry 73% match — The rank or status of an ealdorman. vs earldom →earlman 70% match — A nobleman, warrior, or man of rank, in Anglo-Saxon times. vs earldom →earlish 70% match — Resembling or characteristic of an earl. vs earldom →baronship 68% match — The rank or position of a baron. vs earldom →baronetcy 67% match — The rank of a baronet. vs earldom →countess 65% match — The wife of a count or earl. vs earldom →