peerage

[ peer-ij ]

/ ˈpɪər ɪdʒ /

the body of peers of a country or state.

the rank or dignity of a peer.

a book listing the peers and giving their genealogies.

Origin of peerage

First recorded in 1425–75, peerage is from the late Middle English word perage. See peer¹, -age

It was intended, instead, to be based on “peerage,” where all players are equal.

How Four Upstarts Built and Crashed the Anti-Facebook |Jake Whitney |November 12, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Think aesthetics as politics, and academic credentials as peerage.

‘Downton Abbey’ Democrats May Cost their Party the Senate |Lloyd Green |March 24, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Duchess is the highest rank in the English peerage (in descending order the ranks go duke, marquess, earl, viscount, and baron).

Kate Middleton: Why Be a Duchess When You Can Be a Princess? |Tom Sykes |August 5, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
But Blair has said publicly that he does not want a peerage.

Tony Blair May Be Planning a Political Comeback but in What Role It’s Hard to Imagine |Peter Popham |May 5, 2012 |DAILY BEAST

Sir Robert was forced to give up the contest and be shelved with a peerage.

The Wits and Beaux of Society |Grace & Philip Wharton
The peerage, "God bless our old nobility," acts like an anodyne on her.

The Dodd Family Abroad, Vol. II.(of II) |Charles James Lever
Then, declining to take the oath of allegiance to Louis Philippe, he retired from the peerage, and gave up his pension.

The Catholic World. Volume II; Numbers 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. |E. Rameur
No rising man, with ability to acquire a national reputation, will quit it for a peerage and a seat in the House of Lords.

Thirty Years' View (Vol. I of 2) |Thomas Hart Benton
She has bought a Peerage, and knows the pedigree of the whole Kew family.

The Newcomes |William Makepeace Thackeray

peerage

/ (ˈpɪərɪdʒ) /

the whole body of peers; aristocracy

the position, rank, or title of a peer

(esp in the British Isles) a book listing the peers and giving genealogical and other information about them