duchess

[duhch-is]

noun

1. the wife or widow of a duke.

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

duchess

/ ˈdʌtʃɪs /

noun

1. the wife or widow of a duke

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

verb

1. informal,  to overwhelm with flattering attention

Gender Note

See -ess.

Other Word Forms

• duchesslike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of duchess¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of duchess¹

C14: from Old French duchesse, feminine of duc _duke

Example Sentences

The movie star Clark Gable visited the hotel, and I once got to meet a duke and duchess from England.

Read more on Literature

The car the duchess was in and a police back-up vehicle were part of the convoy.

Read more on BBC

Ms Ferguson, who lost her duchess title when Andrew gave up his Duke of York title a few weeks ago, had, until recently, sidestepped the firing line of the controversy around Epstein.

Read more on BBC

In 2011, the duchess said in a media interview that her involvement with Epstein had been a “gigantic error of judgment.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

His ex-wife has now lost her duchess title and will simply be known as Sarah Ferguson.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• czar 
• emperor 
• king 
• monarch 
• shah 
• sultan