duce

American  

[doo-chey, doo-che] / ˈdu tʃeɪ, ˈdu tʃɛ /

noun

plural

duces, duci

1. a leader or dictator.

2. il Duce the leader: applied especially to Benito Mussolini as head of the fascist Italian state.

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Duce ¹ British  

/ ˈduːtʃe /

noun

1. the title assumed by Benito Mussolini as leader of Fascist Italy (1922–43)

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duce ² British  

/ ˈduːtʃɪ, ˈduːtʃe /

noun

1. leader

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Etymology

Origin of duce

First recorded in 1920–25; from Italian, from Medieval Latin dux (genitive ducis ), Latin: “leader”; duke, dux

Example Sentences

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

They also hope to pro duce the Kentucky abbey's famed Port du Salut cheese.

From Time Magazine Archive

Bethlehem can pro duce about 15% of the total, leaving about 42% for independent companies.

From Time Magazine Archive

Joined, they have assets of nearly $190,000,000, and capacity to pro- duce 1,900,000 tons of steel ingots yearly.

From Time Magazine Archive

Vidi un vittorioso e sommo duce, Pur com' un di color ch' in Campidoglio Trïonfal carro a gran gloria conduce.

From The Romance of Biography (Vol 1 of 2) or Memoirs of Women Loved and Celebrated by Poets, from the Days of the Troubadours to the Present Age. 3rd ed. 2 Vols. by Jameson, Mrs. (Anna)