Duchess
/ˈdʌtʃəs/noun
A woman holding the rank of duke, or the wife of a duke.
Did you know?“Duchess” entered English through Old French, ultimately from Latin *dux*, meaning “leader,” the same root that gave English “duke” and the idea of command itself.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
dux
“leader, commander”
Late Latin
Latin
ducissa
“female duke; wife of a duke”
Old French
OF
duchesse
“duchess”
Middle English
English
duchesse
“a duchess”
Modern English
English
duchess
“a woman holding the rank of duke, or the wife of a duke”