(in Continental Europe) the male ruler of a duchy; the sovereign of a small state.
a British nobleman holding the highest hereditary title outside the royal family, ranking immediately below a prince and above a marquis; a member of the highest rank of the British peerage.
a nobleman of corresponding rank in certain other countries.
a cultivated hybrid of the sweet and sour cherry.
Slang. dukes, fists; hands.
Put up your dukes.
Benjamin Newton, 1855–1929, and his brother, James Buchanan, 1856–1925, U.S. industrialists.
a male given name.
a nobleman of high rank: in the British Isles standing above the other grades of the nobility
the prince or ruler of a small principality or duchy
First recorded in 1100–50; Middle English duke, duc, late Old English duc, from Old French duc, dus, dux, from Medieval Latin dux “hereditary ruler of a small state,” Latin: “leader”; see dux; duke def. 5 dukes (in the sense “fists”) of unclear derivation and perhaps of distinct origin
A duke is a member of a royal or noble group. In some places, dukes rule over certain regions, while in others duke is just an honorary title. In the U.K., a duke inherits his title from his parents. Prince William, for example, is the Duke of Cambridge, while his father Prince Charles is the Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay. The equivalent title for a woman is duchess. Informally, duke has a very different meaning in the U.S. — if you "duke it out," you have a fight, and to "put up your dukes" means to clench your fists and get ready to punch.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
As part of the tour, which begun at Koorie Heritage Trust in Melbourne's Federation Square, the duke and duchess got to handle a Marngrook.
From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026
Rep. Wesley Hunt is likely headed to a runoff, while Democrats duke out their own primary.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026
Canada and United States have been the two best teams in the men's ice hockey competition, and they will duke it out at Milano Santagiulia Arena on Sunday at 13.10 GMT.
From BBC • Feb. 22, 2026
Buckingham Palace at the time said the duke would “continue to support business in the U.K.,” adding that he “will undertake trade engagements if requested.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 21, 2026
“What is that in your hand?” the duke asked a bit too loudly.
From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
