duchess

[ duhch-is ]

/ ˈdʌtʃ ɪs /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR duchess ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the wife or widow of a duke.

a woman who holds in her own right the sovereignty or titles of a duchy.

Nearby words

Origin of duchess

1300–50; Middle English duchesse < Anglo-French, Old French, feminine derivative of duc duke; see -ess

Related formsduch·ess·like, adjective

Usage note

See -ess.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for duchess

He called her The Duchess, and if The Duchess didn't like something, then it was of no value.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days|David Freeman|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Barclays Center where the Duke and Duchess will be seated would have stood in thick of where the pivotal action transpired.
The British Royals Reinvade Brooklyn: William and Kate Come Watch Basketball on Historic Battle Site|Justin Jones|December 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Diez said he married the duchess for love, not money.
Adiós to the Diva Duchess|Barbie Latza Nadeau|November 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
As a wedding gift, the duchess installed a cinema screen in her Duenas Palace for her younger husband.
Adiós to the Diva Duchess|Barbie Latza Nadeau|November 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST

A flamboyant, multi-titled, multiply married royal to remember, the Duchess of Alba died Thursday at the age of 88.
Adiós to the Diva Duchess|Barbie Latza Nadeau|November 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She was no longer a duchess by patent; she was a queen by right of inheritance; she was now to be a power among the great.
The Puppet Crown|Harold MacGrath
He sat by the duchess, and spoke to her in a low voice, and with seriousness.
Lothair|Benjamin Disraeli
To excuse himself, he recalled certain words which the Duchess had said.
The Enemies of Women|Vicente Blasco Ibez
There was such awe-inspiring majesty in the action, that David felt certain she must be, at the very least, a duchess.
The Following of the Star|Florence L. Barclay
"I did not know that spirits were addicted to bad language," said the Duchess.
Masterpieces of Mystery In Four Volumes|Various

British Dictionary definitions for duchess

duchess

/ (ˈdʌtʃɪs) /

noun

the wife or widow of a duke

a woman who holds the rank of duke in her own right

verb (tr)

Australian informal to overwhelm with flattering attention

Word Origin for duchess

C14: from Old French duchesse, feminine of duc duke

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for duchess

duchess

c.1300, from Old French duchesse, from Late Latin or Medieval Latin ducissa, fem. of dux (see duke (n.)). Often spelled dutchess until early 19c. (e.g. Dutchess County, New York, U.S.).

duchess

noun

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RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of duchess

Usage note

Examples from the Web for duchess

British Dictionary definitions for duchess

duchess

noun

verb (tr)

Word Origin for duchess

Word Origin and History for duchess

duchess