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 Words From

• duchess·like 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 duchess, 59, had travelled to this part of Chad with Unicef representatives and visited a refugee camp where almost a quarter of a million people had gathered, with many more still arriving from Sudan.

From BBC

The duchess has made previous TV appearances, including on ITV's Loose Women, as well as a scene in Friends when the US show filmed a 1998 episode in London.

From BBC

According to a December BBC report, the duke and duchess get no income from the charity and are listed as directors working an average of one hour per week.

From Los Angeles Times

Speaking at an event on women in leadership on Saturday, the duchess said discovering she had Nigerian heritage via a genealogy test had been eye-opening and humbling.

From BBC

Speaking at an event on women in leadership, the duchess revealed that a genealogy test showed she had Nigerian origins.

From BBC

Related Words

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