Meanings
margrave1
plural margraves · alternative margraf · alternative markgraf · alternative markgrave
- historicalA feudal era military-administrative officer of comital rank in the Carolingian empire and some successor states, originally in charge of a border area.
1973: Among pulverised heads of stone margraves and electors, reconnoitering a likely-looking cabbage patch, all of a sudden Slothrop picks up the scent of an unmistakable no it can’t be yes it is it’s a REEFER! — Thomas Pynchon, Gravity’s Rainbow
- historicalA hereditary ruling prince in certain feudal states of the Holy Roman Empire and elsewhere; the titular equivalent became known as marquis or marquess.
The Margrave of Bruges was their head.
1516, Thomas More, chapter 1, in Utopia
Margrave2
- A surname.
Origin
- Latingraphio
- Proto-Germanic*markō“boundary; boundary marker”
- Middle Dutchmarcgrāve
- Englishmargrave
From Middle Dutch marcgrāve (modern Dutch markgraaf), cognate with Old High German marcgrāvo (modern German Markgraf), from Proto-Germanic *markō (“boundary; boundary marker”) + *grafa (“military rank”), from Latin graphio. More at mark, graft. Compare marchion, marquis, landgrave.
More words from Middle Dutch, Proto-Germanic, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian маркграф, маркграф
- маркграф (markgraf)military officer in charge of German border area
- маркграф (markgraf)hereditary prince
Catalan marcgravi, marquès
- marcgravimilitary officer in charge of German border area
- marquèsmilitary officer in charge of German border area
- marcgravihereditary prince
Chinese Mandarin 藩侯
- 藩侯 (fānhóu)military officer in charge of German border area
Czech markrabě, markrabě
- markraběmilitary officer in charge of German border area
- markraběhereditary prince
Danish markgreve, markgreve
- markgrevemilitary officer in charge of German border area
- markgrevehereditary prince
Dutch markgraaf, markgraaf
- markgraafmilitary officer in charge of German border area
- markgraafhereditary prince
- markieshereditary prince
Esperanto margrafo, margrafo
- margrafomilitary officer in charge of German border area
- margrafohereditary prince
Finnish rajakreivi, rajakreivi
- rajakreivimilitary officer in charge of German border area
- rajakreivihereditary prince
French margrave
- margravemilitary officer in charge of German border area
German Markgraf, Markgraf
- Markgrafmilitary officer in charge of German border area
- Markgrafhereditary prince
Greek μαργράβος, μαργράβος
- μαργράβος (margrávos)military officer in charge of German border area
- μαργράβος (margrávos)hereditary prince
Hungarian őrgróf, márki
- őrgrófhereditary prince
- márkihereditary prince
Icelandic markgreifi, markgreifi
- markgreifimilitary officer in charge of German border area
- markgreifihereditary prince
Italian margravio, margravio
- margraviomilitary officer in charge of German border area
- margraviohereditary prince
Japanese 辺境伯
- 辺境伯 (henkyouhaku)military officer in charge of German border area
Korean 변경백
- 변경백 (byeon'gyeongbaek)military officer in charge of German border area
Persian مرزبان, مرزبان
- مرزبان (marzbân)military officer in charge of German border area
- مرزبان (marzbân)hereditary prince
Polish margrabia, margrabia
- margrabiamilitary officer in charge of German border area
- margrabiahereditary prince
Portuguese margrave, margrave
- margravemilitary officer in charge of German border area
- margravehereditary prince
Russian маркгра́ф, маркгра́ф
- маркгра́ф (markgráf)military officer in charge of German border area
- маркгра́ф (markgráf)hereditary prince
Spanish margrave
- margravehereditary prince
Swedish markgreve, markgreve
- markgrevemilitary officer in charge of German border area
- markgrevehereditary prince
Thai มาร์เกรฟ, มาร์เกรฟ
- มาร์เกรฟmilitary officer in charge of German border area
- มาร์เกรฟhereditary prince
Cite this entry
margrave. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/margrave
“margrave.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/margrave. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “margrave,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/margrave.
Source: margrave on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.