earl

Needlefish \Nee"dle*fish`\, n. (Zool.) (a) The European great pipefish (Siphostoma acus or Syngnathus acus); -- called also earl, and tanglefish. (b) The garfish. [1913 Webster]

Earl \Earl\, n. [OE. eorl, erl, AS. eorl man, noble; akin to OS. erl boy, man, Icel. jarl nobleman, count, and possibly to Gr. ? male, Zend arshan man. Cf. Jarl.] A nobleman of England ranking below a marquis, and above a viscount. The rank of an earl corresponds to that of a count (comte) in France, and graf in Germany. Hence the wife of an earl is still called countess. See Count. [1913 Webster]

Earl \Earl\, n. (Zo["o]l.) The needlefish. [Ireland] [1913 Webster]