countly
adjEtymology From count + -ly.
1
Uncommon Of or pertaining to a count.
- [T]he old republic sold titles for a pittance to whoever could pay for them, though such a person might not even have had the education of a gentleman. […] It was natural, therefore, that a lord of Crema should fear being confounded with this countly canaglia, and sink his having any thing in common with such a crew.1854, Lord Byron, “Marino Faliero, Doge of Venice; An Historical Tragedy, in Five Acts. [Appendix]”, in The Poetical Works of Lord Byron, volume 6, London: John Murray, page 229:
- The countly finances came again into their former state; the tournaments ceased; knights and varlets disappeared; the castle became again a hermitage; and the countly family once more returned to its frugal meals of boiled potatoes.1877, Marie Pabke, Margery Deane, “Reinald, the Wonder-Child: Or, The Chronicles of the Three Sisters.”, in Wonder-World Stories from the Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Hindoostanee, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Swedish, and Turkish, page 76:
1 more example
- In the course of the next three hundred years a great number of illustrious princely and countly houses died out; […]1879, S[abine] Baring-Gould, “The Upper Nobility”, in Germany Present and Past, volume 1, London: C. Kegan Paul & Co., page 11: