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• duo
  duo

  noun

  duet.
• duo-
  duo-

  a combining form meaning “two,” used in the formation of compound words.

duo

¹ American  

[doo-oh, dyoo-oh] / ˈdu oʊ, ˈdju oʊ /

noun

• duos
  plural

1. Music. duet.

2. two persons commonly associated with each other; couple.

3. two animals or objects of the same sort; two things ordinarily placed or found together; a pair.

   a duo of lovebirds.

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duo- ² American  

1. a combining form meaning “two,” used in the formation of compound words.

   duologue.

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duo ¹ British  

/ ˈdjuːəʊ /

noun

1. music

   1. a pair of performers

   2. another word for duet

2. a pair of actors, entertainers, etc

3. informal a pair of closely connected individuals

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duo- ² British  

combining form

1. indicating two

   duotone

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Usage

What does duo- mean? Duo- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “two.” It is occasionally used in technical terms. Duo- comes from Greek dýo and Latin duo, both meaning “two.” In fact, English’s own word two is related to these roots! Learn more at our entry at two.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• duos
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of duo¹

1580–90; < Italian < Latin: two

Origin of duo-²

Combining form of Greek dýo, Latin duo two

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Compare meaning

How does duo compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• duo vs. duet

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Explanation

A duo is a pair of things or people. Batman and Robin are a famous dynamic duo, but a duo is any two people doing something together, not just crime fighting. In fact, a duo usually entertains. You can complain that you can't find a duo of matching socks, but it's more common to use duo for people who perform together. For example, Penn and Teller are a magician duo, and Laurel and Hardy were a comedy duo. If you and your sister play your ukuleles together in the subway for tips, you're also a duo. Originally, a duo was a song written for two voices, from the Latin meaning of duo, "two."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

duo duos

Might the president visit retribution on that duo?

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

Directed by the Spanish filmmaking duo Los Javis, the drama ties together three time periods to explore the history of gay male desire across nearly 100 years.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026

The BBC sat down with the duo to recount the day full of excitement and hurdles.

From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026

French electro duo Justice were chosen to do the original score for the new instalment of the "Grand Theft Auto" video game which will be released next month, maker Rockstar Games announced Thursday.

From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026

“Would you listen to that crowd? They are loving this adorable but unlikely duo, Kevin.”

From "Here to Stay" by Sara Farizan

These giant black hole duos are expected to form naturally after galaxies merge.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 5, 2026

Few would contend that Lerner and Loewe’s “Brigadoon” and Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Flower Drum Song” represent the best work of these legendary duos.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 20, 2026

Now, 43 years later, Russell and Hawn have become one of Hollywood’s most-loved duos and have turned their focus to real estate.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 26, 2026

Most of them call for soloists and a four-part choir, but he wrote solo cantatas as well as duos.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 24, 2026

Or like Pa’s old doo-wop records with duos and trios that went high, higher, then low.

From "Gone Crazy in Alabama" by Rita Williams-Garcia

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Related Words

• pair

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