# earl

> English word · Noun · IPA /ɜːl/ · frequency rank #5,322

## Definitions
1. A British or Irish nobleman next in rank above a viscount and below a marquess; equivalent to a European count. A female using the style is termed a countess.
2. Any of various nymphalid butterflies of the genus Tanaecia. Other butterflies in this genus are called counts and viscounts.

## Etymology
From Middle English erl, erle, from Old English eorl, from Proto-West Germanic *erl, from Proto-Germanic *erlaz (compare Old Saxon erl, Old Norse jarl), from Proto-Germanic *erōną, *arōną (compare Old Norse jara (“fight, battle”)). Doublet of eorl and jarl. Unrelated to ealdorman (“alderman”).

## Easily confused with
- **el** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/earl-vs-el)
- **er** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/earl-vs-er)
- **eat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/earl-vs-eat)
- **era** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/earl-vs-era)
- **err** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/earl-vs-err)
- **eel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/earl-vs-eel)
- **erm** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/earl-vs-erm)
- **ERS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/earl-vs-ers)
- **eau** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/earl-vs-eau)
- **ere** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/earl-vs-ere)
- **ESL** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/earl-vs-esl)
- **EPL** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/earl-vs-epl)
- **ERP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/earl-vs-erp)
- **ell** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/earl-vs-ell)
- **EFL** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/earl-vs-efl)
- **EAS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/earl-vs-eas)
- **Erc** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/earl-vs-erc)
- **EDL** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/earl-vs-edl)
- **erg** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/earl-vs-erg)
- **Eri** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/earl-vs-eri)

## Common misspellings (4)
`aerl`, `ealr`, `earll`, `earrl`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/earl