duce
noun
a leader or dictator.
duce
American
[doo-chay, doo-che]
/ ˈdu tʃeɪ, ˈdu tʃɛ /
noun
-
duces,
plural
-
duci
plural
-
a leader or dictator.
-
il Duce the leader: applied especially to Benito Mussolini as head of the fascist Italian state.
Duce
1
British
/ ˈduːtʃe /
noun
duce
2
British
/ ˈduːtʃɪ, ˈduːtʃe /
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of duce
First recorded in 1920–25; from Italian, from Medieval Latin dux (genitive ducis ), Latin: “leader”; cf. duke, dux
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 Vietnamese politely took what they were offered, but within twenty-four hours the complaints started coming back—the “American soap … didn’t pro- duce suds or clean properly.”
From MSNBC ● Jan. 9, 2018
Union members would have to pro duce more if they expected higher wages.
From Time Magazine Archive
Prophetically, he digressed in it to deliver a stinging rebuke to the civilization that could pro duce a Harlem.
From Time Magazine Archive
Alas, two great melodies do not always pro duce a single pleasing harmony.
From Time Magazine Archive
What the duce have I here! said he, taking one of my hands,—a snow-ball by the colour, and feeling? and down he dropp'd it by the side of Lord Darcey's, which rested on the table.
From Barford Abbey by Susannah Minific Gunning
And when the Italian Azzurri lifted the trophy in Rome, a second trophy waited for them: the Coppa del Duce, commissioned by Mussolini, six times the size of the real one.
From Slate ● Jun. 11, 2026
The Coppa del Duce, more than 90 years on, comes shaped like a golden ticket.
From Slate ● Jun. 11, 2026
Of four documented assassination attempts on Il Duce, Violet came the closest.
From BBC ● Apr. 7, 2026
The two most touted receiver among the four, Duce Robinson and Zachariah Branch, left during the offseason in search of other opportunities.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2025
I know of such places in Duce Waillops among the Twanas, and at Dungeness and Port Angeles among the Clallams.
From A Further Contribution to the Study of the Mortuary Customs of the North American Indians by H. C. (Harry Crécy) Yarrow
She also pro- duces food and spirit events across the country.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2022
In the lead-up to trial, Burr, taking aim at his accusers, moved for a subpoena duces tecum directed at Jefferson.
From Reuters ● Jul. 9, 2020
Enforcement of the subpoena duces tecum was stayed pending this Court’s resolution of the issues raised by the petitions for certiorari.
From MSNBC ● Jul. 22, 2015
Enforcement of a pretrial subpoena duces tecum must necessarily be committed to the sound discretion of the trial court since the necessity for the subpoena most often turns upon a determination of factual issues.
From MSNBC ● Jul. 22, 2015
He did not seem to know that his name had been mentioned, but sat there in deep thought, planning the second and more successful campaign against the "duces."
From The Cave by the Beech Fork A Story of Kentucky?1815 by Henry S. Spalding
In the Latyne stemme of Chawcer you saye, speakinge of Katherine Swyneforde, Que postea nupta Johanni Gandauensi tertij Edwardi Regis filio, Lancastriæ duci, illi procreavit filios tres et vnicam filiam.
From Animaduersions uppon the annotacions and corrections of some imperfections of impressiones of Chaucer's workes 1865 edition by G. H. (George Henry) Kingsley
The gold medal for General Gates represents the head of that general, with this legend: horatio gates, duci strenuo, comitia americana.
From The Medallic History of the United States of America 1776-1876 by Jules-Ferdinand Jacquemart
The gold medal of General Greene represents the head of that general, with this legend: nathanieli green, egregio duci, comitia americana.
From The Medallic History of the United States of America 1776-1876 by Jules-Ferdinand Jacquemart
A life of innocence was regarded as a life of ill-nature —Innocentia pro malivolentiâ duci caepit.
From Conspiracy of Catiline and the Jurgurthine War by John Selby Watson
In Sicily a thousand endearing epithets are applied to the Infant Saviour: "figghiu duci," "Gesiuzzi beddu," "Gesiuzzi picchiureddi."
From Essays in the Study of Folk-Songs (1886) by Countess Evelyn Martinengo-Cesaresco
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.
