count palatine
- in Germany, a count granted certain powers from the emperor in his own territory
- in England, an earl with supreme power in his county
See count palatine in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun pl. counts palatine a. Any of various noblemen originally exercising certain royal powers within their own domains, especially a count of the Holy Roman Empire having sovereign powers in his own territories.
b. A feudal lord having sovereign powers over his lands.
- The titled proprietor of a county palatine in England or Ireland.