Peers of the Realm
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The five orders of Duke, Marquess, Earl, Viscount, and Baron (see these names'). The word peer is the Latin pares (equals), and in feudal tunes all great vassals were held equal in rank.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Peers of the Realm” mean?
The five orders of Duke, Marquess, Earl, Viscount, and Baron (see these names'). The word peer is the Latin pares (equals), and in feudal tunes all great vassals were held equal in rank.
Is “Peers of the Realm” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.