What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Principality vs County - What's the difference?

principality | county |

As nouns the difference between principality and county

is that principality is the state of being a prince or ruler; sovereignty, absolute authority while county is the land ruled by a count or a countess.

As an adjective county is

characteristic of a ‘county family’; representative of the gentry or aristocracy of a county.

principality

English

Noun

(principalities)
  • (obsolete) The state of being a prince or ruler; sovereignty, absolute authority.
  • A region or sovereign nation headed by a prince or princess.
  • * 1990 , (Peter Hopkirk), The Great Game , Folio Society 2010, p. 14:
    • At this time Russia consisted of a dozen or so principalities , which were frequently at war with one another.
  • (theology) A spiritual being, specifically in Christian angelology, the fifth level of angels, ranked above powers and below dominions.

    • See also

    * choirs of angels * dominion * power

    county

    English

    Noun

    (counties)
  • (historical) The land ruled by a count or a countess.
  • An administrative region of various countries, including Bhutan, Canada, China, Croatia, France, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Serbia and Montenegro and Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States.
  • A definitive geographic region, without direct administrative functions.
    • traditional county

    Usage notes

    * In American usage, counties are almost always designated as such, with the word "County" capitalized and following the name — e.g., "Lewis County", rarely "Lewis", and never "County Lewis." * In British usage, counties are referenced without designation — e.g. "Kent" and never "Kent County". The exception is Durham, which is often "County Durham" (but never "Durham County"). An organisation such as Kent County Council is the "County Council" of "Kent" and not the "Council" of "Kent County". * In Irish usage, counties are frequently referenced, but like Durham precede the name — e.g., "County Cork" or "Cork" and never "Cork County."

    Derived terms

    * countyhood * countywide * another county heard from * traditional county

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Characteristic of a ‘county family’; representative of the gentry or aristocracy of a county.
  • *1979 , , Smiley's People , Folio Society 2010, p. 274:
  • *:She was a tall girl and county , with Hilary's walk: she seemed to topple even when she sat.