squirearchy

1. (historical) The landowning gentry.Examples: "Now, as one of the squirearchy, greeted with honorable salutations by the villagers, he marched into his office, and peace and dignity were upon him, and the morning's dissonances all unheard."; "1930 [Cambridge University Press], G. G. Coulton, The Medieval Scene: An Informal Introduction to the Middle Ages, 2000, Dover, page 37, We may characterise medieval village government not unfairly as squirearchy, though often a benevolent squirearchy enough, just as the squirearchy of the eighteenth century was often benevolent also."; "For many years a combination of rural squirearchies and business interests held tight control of most state capitols."historical