duchess

[ duhch-is ]
/ ˈdʌtʃ ɪs /

noun

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

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weal
well-being, prosperity, or happiness.
the intervening time.
a somewhat prolonged, sharp, shrill cry, as of pain, fear, or surprise.
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Origin of duchess

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

usage note for duchess

See -ess.

OTHER WORDS FROM duchess

duch·ess·like, adjective

Words nearby duchess

duchenne dystrophy, duchenne's disease, duchenne's dystrophy, duchenne-aran disease, duchenne-erb paralysis, duchess, duchess of malfi, the, duchess potatoes, duchesse, duchesse bed, duchesse brisée

Definition for duchesses (2 of 2)

duchesse
[ French dy-shes ]
/ French düˈʃɛs /

noun, plural du·chesses [French dy-shes] /French düˈʃɛs/. French Furniture.

a daybed having a rounded, partially enclosed head and usually a similar foot, sometimes made in two or three pieces able to be used separately (duchesse brisée).

Origin of duchesse

From French, dating back to 1785–95; see origin at duchess
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to duchesses

aristocrat, king, monarch, emperor, czar, sultan, shah, girl, queen, adult, female, count, patrician, gentleman, royalty, peer, lord, lady, prince, empress

Example sentences from the Web for duchesses

British Dictionary definitions for duchesses (1 of 2)

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

British Dictionary definitions for duchesses (2 of 2)

duchesse
/ (ˈdʌtʃɪs) /

noun

Australian and NZ a dressing table or chest of drawers with a mirror
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