plural baronies
1
: the domain, rank, or dignity of a baron
2
: a vast private landholding
3
: a field of activity under the sway of an individual or a special group

Examples of barony in a Sentence

He inherited the barony from his father. no longer is the city's social and cultural life the barony of a few old-line families
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Cyril was promoted by Gladstone from an MP to a barony in 1892. Hermione Lee, The New York Review of Books, 2 Feb. 2023 Thanks to his accumulation of new wealth, Édouard Louis Joseph Empain was raised to a barony by the Belgian king in 1907. Jonathan Kirsch, Washington Post, 3 June 2022

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of barony was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near barony

Cite this Entry

“Barony.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barony. Accessed 19 Dec. 2024.

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