earl

From Middle English erle, erl, from Old English eorl, from Proto-Germanic *erlaz (compare Old Norse jarl, Old High German and Old Saxon erl), from Proto-Germanic *erōną, *arōną (compare Old Norse jara (“fight, battle”)), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁er- (compare Latin orior (“to rise, get up”), Ancient Greek ὄρνυμι (órnumi, “to urge, incite”), Avestan 𐬆𐬭𐬆𐬥𐬀𐬊𐬌𐬙𐬌‎ (ərənaoiti, “to move”), Sanskrit ऋणोति (ṛṇóti, “to arise, reach, move, attack”)). Also displaced unrelated but similar ealdorman.

• enPR: ûrl
• (UK) IPA^(key): /ɜːl/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ɝl/
• Rhymes: -ɜː(r)l
• Homophone: URL

earl (plural earls)

1. 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.

• belted earl
• earldom

• Arel, Elar, Lare, Lear, Rael, Raël, Real, lare, lear, rale, real