countesses

A countess is a female title of nobility used in European monarchies and in the English-speaking world to denote the wife of a count or a woman who holds the rank in her own right. The term derives from Latin comes, via Old French comte, and has feminine forms in many languages, including comtesse (French), contessa (Italian), condessa/condesa (Portuguese/Spanish), and Gräfin (German).

In most noble hierarchies, the rank of count sits above viscount and below duke; therefore a countess is the female form of that rank, and typically the wife of a male count or holder of the corresponding title. The precise usage and styling vary by country and language, with titular forms such as Countess of X used when a territorial title is involved.

In the British peerage, the wife of an earl is a countess; a woman who holds the title in her own right may be titled countess of a particular territory if created with that rank. In other countries, the female form of the title is part of the common noble vocabulary (for example, comtesse in French, contessa in Italian, condessa in Portuguese, and Gräfin in German).

Today, noble titles are largely ceremonial in many states; the social role of a countess is defined by family history, patronage, and ceremonial duties rather than automatic legal privileges.