Definition

A man who has a British hereditary title that is lower than a baron and higher than a knight, and who can be addressed as 'Sir'.

Example

The baronet attended the royal ceremony in his formal attire.

Conversation

Did you know that he was made a baronet last year?

Really? That's quite an honor for him!

Yeah, now he gets to use 'Sir' before his name.

That's cool! I wonder how that changes his life.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Baronet → The word originates from the combination of 'baron' (from Old French *baron*, meaning a nobleman) and the suffix '-et' (a diminutive suffix in Old French). A baronet is thus a title of honor that denotes a lesser degree of nobility, specifically one who is below a baron.

Memory Tip

Think of a 'baron' as a nobleman and remember that a 'baronet' is a smaller or lesser title of nobility, indicated by the '-et' suffix.

Visually Confused Words