duke

1 of 2

noun

ˈdük How to pronounce duke (audio)
 also  ˈdyük
1
: a sovereign male ruler of a continental European duchy
2
: a nobleman of the highest hereditary rank
especially : a member of the highest grade of the British peerage
3
[probably from dukes of York, rhyming slang for fork (hand, fist)] slang : fist, hand
usually used in plural
dukedom
ˈdük-dəm How to pronounce duke (audio)
 also  ˈdyük-
noun

duke

2 of 2

verb

duked; duking
Phrases
duke it out
: to engage in a fight and especially a fistfight

Examples of duke in a Sentence

Noun Put up your dukes and fight, you coward!
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Noun
Under the Farnese dukes, the city became wealthy and powerful. Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 3 Nov. 2024 The key to unlocking the code may lie in learning more about the man who created the monsters: Orsini, a duke of Bomarzo who was known by the nickname Vicino. Lanta Davis and Vince Reighard, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Oct. 2024
Verb
The same could be said about the White House as former President Donald Trump dukes it out with Harris. House or White House control would complement likely Senate control from Republicans. Ross O'Keefe, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 7 Sep. 2024 Trump also made the comments with less than two weeks until Election Day -- and as the former president and Vice President Kamala Harris duke it out in what's expected to be a close contest. Soo Rin Kim, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for duke 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French duc, from Latin duc-, dux, from ducere to lead — more at tow entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1947, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of duke was in the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near duke

Cite this Entry

“Duke.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/duke. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

duke

noun
ˈd(y)ük
1
: a soveriegn ruler of a duchy
2
: a nobleman of the highest rank especially of the British nobility
3
slang : fist sense 1
usually used in plural

Biographical Definition

Duke

biographical name

ˈdük How to pronounce Duke (audio)
ˈdyük
Benjamin Newton 1855–1929 and his brother James Buchanan 1856–1925 American tobacco industrialists
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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