A German noble title equivalent to count or earl. Also appears as a surname derived from this title.
From Old High German 'gravo', meaning 'count' or regional administrator, related to Middle Dutch 'grave'. The title originally designated royal officials who administered territories on behalf of kings or emperors.
Graf represents the fascinating evolution of European feudalism - originally these were just royal bureaucrats, but over time the title became hereditary nobility! The word is also immortalized in the legendary tennis player Steffi Graf, whose surname literally means 'count,' connecting modern sports stardom to medieval aristocracy.
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