duke

¹duke

noun \ˈdük also ˈdyük\

Definition of DUKE

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

— duke·dom \-dəm\ noun

Examples of DUKE

1. Put up your dukes and fight, you coward!

Origin of DUKE

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

First Known Use: 12th century

Other Government and Politics Terms

agent provocateur, agitprop, autarky, cabal, egalitarianism, federalism, hegemony, plenipotentiary, popular sovereignty, socialism

Rhymes with DUKE

cuke, fluke, gook, juke, kook, Luke, nuke, Nuuk, puke, snook, souk, spook, tuque, uke, yeuk, zouk