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

Per People, the duke and duchess stopped by the historic palazzo during a visit commemorating the 60th anniversary of the island nation’s independence. —Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 10 Oct. 2024

In August, a spokesperson for Prince Harry announced that the duke would visit N.Y.C. during the UN General Assembly High-level Week and Climate Week. —Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 23 Sep. 2024

Verb

While serving as an SparkNotes encyclopedia of an anime’s mythos, arena fighters also allow players to veer off course from a show’s storyline and steer full throttle in fanfiction territory by having heroes and villains duke it out in custom battles. —Isaiah Colbert, Rolling Stone, 9 Oct. 2024

Streep’s Loretta Durkin and McCarthy’s character Doreen, Charles’ (Steve Martin) sister, duke it out in the suburbs as the latter is distressed her advances on Oliver (Martin Short) aren’t working because the former showed up unannounced. —Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 8 Oct. 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