peer
Used as in “peer of the realm.” A member of the peerage (nobility) — holds one of the following titles: duke, marquess, earl, viscount, baron (in that order for rank).
“He is a peer.”
“I know. He tried to peer down my dress.”
“No, no, no. He’s a peer of the realm. A viscount. A good catch for you.”
“Are you trying to say he didn’t peer down my dress?”
“No, I’m trying to that he is a member of the nobility. Parliament seat in the House of Lords. Ring any bells?”
“Do they ring bells in the House of Lords? I never knew. Still that doesn’t solve my dress problem.”
Wiki
The Peerage is a system of titles of nobility which exists in the United Kingdom and is one part of the British honours system. The term can be used to refer to the entire body of titles in a collective sense, or to a specific title.
Anne
Sons who use courtesy titles (their living father’s next highest title) are not considered peers. They are legal commoners like everyone else. That does not mean they are not members of the ton, however. There is a lot of interesting information about peers, the peerage and how they get created and work, especially in legal ways. Too much for Word of the Day, but if curious, Wikipedia has a lot of good information, as do Laura Chinet’s peerage pages, a veritable feast of peerage information.
