/ ˌmɑːʃəˈnes; NAmE ˌmɑːrʃ-/ noun
1.
a woman who has the rank of a marquess
2.
the wife of a marquess
—compare marquise
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WORD ORIGIN
late 16th cent.: from medieval Latin marchionissa , feminine of marchio(n-) ruler of a border territory, from marcha march.