duke

1 of 2

noun

ˈdük 

 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 

 also  ˈdyük-

noun

duke

2 of 2

verb

duked; duking

intransitive verb

: fight

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

Noun

In the following centuries, the auction house says, the painting passed through multiple hands, including an English duke and Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria, and was looted from Vienna by Napoleon’s troops but returned to the city after his fall. —Niha Masih, Washington Post, 4 July 2024

Built in the 17th century, the castle was once home to the dukes of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. —Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 June 2024

Verb

But there wasn’t much conversation around them being related, and having to duke it out. —Hunter Ingram, Variety, 17 July 2024

Safe to expect some more knockout numbers for both final matches, which take place on Sunday when Argentina and Colombia go head-to-head for the Copa America title while England and Spain duke it out for the Euro Championship. —Katie Campione, Deadline, 11 July 2024

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

Phrases Containing duke

• duke it out
• grand duke

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 

ˈdyük

Benjamin Newton 1855–1929 and his brother James Buchanan 1856–1925 American tobacco industrialists