archduchess

noun

arch·​duch·​ess (ˌ)ärch-ˈdə-chəs How to pronounce archduchess (audio)
1
: the wife or widow of an archduke
2
: a woman having in her own right a rank equal to that of an archduke

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Sophie knows about the condition before even Sisi herself—the archduchess, after all, has a courtier to watch and track her daughter-in-law’s every movement, including her menstrual cycle. Elise Taylor, Vogue, 3 Oct. 2022 Both Marie-Antoinette, an Austrian archduchess by birth, and her husband, Louis XVI, were executed by guillotine in October 1793. CNN, 4 Oct. 2021 The formidable archduchess, by then nearly 50, had also grown up in Bavaria, but fought tooth and nail to impose her will on the Austrian court. National Geographic, 14 May 2019 Such was Sophie’s power that less than a year after the wedding, when Elisabeth gave birth to her first daughter, the archduchess insisted the child be named for her. National Geographic, 14 May 2019 Following the birth of Sisi’s second daughter, Gisela, the archduchess asserted control again—but this time Sisi stood up to her. National Geographic, 14 May 2019 Sarah Lipinski, a 26-year-old accountant, remembers sitting on a bench at the Clark and nursing her then 4-month-old daughter, Nadia, while the tour guide provided insights on a 1604 portrait of an Austrian archduchess. Polya Lesova, WSJ, 23 Apr. 2018 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'archduchess.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

French archiduchesse, feminine of archiduc archduke, from Middle French archeduc

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of archduchess was in 1555

Dictionary Entries Near archduchess

Cite this Entry

“Archduchess.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/archduchess. Accessed 24 Mar. 2023.

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