grand duke

American  

noun

1. the sovereign of a territory called a grand duchy, ranking next below a king.

2. a son of a czar or of a czar's son.

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grand duke British  

noun

1. a prince or nobleman who rules a territory, state, or principality

2. a son or a male descendant in the male line of a Russian tsar

3. a medieval Russian prince who ruled over other princes

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Other Word Forms

• grand-ducal adjective

Etymology

Origin of grand duke

First recorded in 1685–95

Example Sentences

First recorded in the collection of King Willem II, it was passed down through royal hands to a German grand duke in the early 20th century.

From New York Times

Soon it was so prized that Renaissance guilds mandated that it be made only with local wool, and a Medici grand duke forbade its sales outside the valley where it was produced.

From New York Times

Missing also will be the kings and princes and grand dukes, politicians, pop stars and aristocrats that have in some variety turned royal events into a century-long media phenomenon.

From BBC

He had become the grand duke of Cold Sassy again.

From Literature

In any case, the grand duke’s saintly widow bears no responsibility for her husband’s harsh actions.

From Economist