duchess
Americannoun
-
the wife or widow of a duke.
-
a woman who holds in her own right the sovereignty or titles of a duchy.
noun
-
the wife or widow of a duke
-
a woman who holds the rank of duke in her own right
verb
Gender
See -ess.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of duchess
1300–50; Middle English duchesse < Anglo-French, Old French, feminine derivative of duc duke; see -ess
Explanation
A duchess is a female member of a royal or noble family. If a woman marries a duke, she becomes a duchess. Many duchesses inherit their title when they're born — there are still hereditary dukes and duchesses in the U.K., for example. In other cases, a woman marries into a noble family and finds herself with the title. The word duchess comes from the feminine form of the Latin dux, "leader or commander."
Vocabulary lists containing duchess
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A gentleman here, Daniel de Bosola, One that was in the galleys—— DUCHESS.
From The Duchess of Malfi by Webster, John
His history, so far as we were concerned, began the day he signed on the DUCHESS.
From South Sea Tales by London, Jack
He starts slightly on observing the DUCHESS, but instantly recovers himself, and faces the company coldly.
From Two Men of Sandy Bar; a drama by Harte, Bret
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
