duchess
Americannoun
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duchesses
plural
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the wife or widow of a duke.
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a woman who holds in her own right the sovereignty or titles of a duchy.
noun
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the wife or widow of a duke
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a woman who holds the rank of duke in her own right
verb
Gender
See -ess.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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.
See Examples For:
The duchess reportedly wants the U.K. residence to boast nine bedrooms—the same number as their California estate—as well as plenty of luxurious amenities.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 12, 2026
Sources close to the duchess said Meghan warned Thomas Markle in a letter that he would never meet his grandchildren.
From BBC ● Oct. 25, 2026
The Duke of Sussex spoke about the move in an interview with GQ’s Zach Baron, explaining that he and the duchess of Sussex returned to Britain for “opportunities for the family.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 21, 2026
A spokesperson for the duchess previously said the email was sent after Epstein had threatened to sue her for defamation - in an effort to convince him not to.
From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026
The duke of Veragua, a direct descendent of Columbus, sat in the fourteenth carriage; the duchess occupied the fifteenth with Bertha Palmer, whose diamonds radiated an almost palpable heat.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
"From valets to duchesses, from three-piece suits to the Roaring Twenties, there is something for every taste," it boasts on its website.
From Barron's ● Feb. 12, 2026
Over the centuries, the dukes and duchesses of Alba have distinguished themselves in various ways.
From New York Times ● Jan. 17, 2024
Harry and his brother, William, are princes, yet their wives are duchesses, not princesses.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 10, 2019
Strong, independent women now thrive, which isn’t easy when duchesses are your livelihood.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 13, 2015
The Duchess, after all, was not a grand, forbidding person, as they had always imagined duchesses were.
From The Motor Maids by Rose, Shamrock and Thistle by Katherine Stokes
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
