second estate

noun

The caste of nobility in medieval and early modern society, and in particular in France prior to 1789, as distinct from the clergy and the commoners.

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Meanings

noun
  1. The caste of nobility in medieval and early modern society, and in particular in France prior to 1789, as distinct from the clergy and the commoners.
  2. The House of Lords.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounthe nobility in France and the peerage in Britain

Similar
Lords Temporal
Broader
estate of the realmestatethe three estates

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

See etymology at fourth estate.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

second estate. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/second%20estate

MLA

“second estate.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/second%20estate. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “second estate,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/second%20estate.

Source: second estate on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.