Second Estate (Noun)
Meaning
The nobility in France and the peerage in Britain.
Classification
Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects.
Examples
- The French king's power was balanced by the influence of the second estate, the nobility, who held significant sway over the country's politics and economy.
- In medieval Britain, the second estate, comprising the peerage, was responsible for advising the monarch and defending the realm.
- The second estate in pre-revolutionary France was notorious for its extravagance and privileges, which sparked resentment among the common people.
- The British peerage, as the second estate, played a crucial role in shaping the country's history, from the Magna Carta to the present day.
- Despite their historical influence, the second estate in France was abolished during the Revolution, and the nobility's privileges were drastically curtailed.