. . "Count (male) or countess (female) is a title in European countries for a noble of varying status, but historically deemed to convey an approximate rank intermediate between the highest and lowest titles of nobility. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes\u2014in its accusative comitem\u2014meaning \u201Ccompanion\u201D, and later \u201Ccompanion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor\u201D. The adjective form of the word is \"comital\"."@en .