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

see also duke it out

Examples of duke in a Sentence

Noun

Put up your dukes and fight, you coward!

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Poor Gamay started out with a bad rap because in the 14th century it was thought that wines made from Gamay grapes infected people with serious diseases and in 1395 Philip II duke of Burgundy decreed that all Gamay vines should be destroyed. —Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 29 Jan. 2026

And who doesn’t relish the gothic details of an ancient manor and grumpy yet uniquely attractive duke that owns it? —Literary Hub, 23 Jan. 2026

Verb

For the first time in the show’s history, the cheftestants include life partners who co-own and operate a restaurant together, and a highly competitive set of twin brothers who will duke it out for the top prize. —Christopher Edwards, PEOPLE, 29 Jan. 2026

Now, instead of competing for visits, stores are duking it out over share of spend in a category, since consumers are more willing to shop around. —Sarah Jones, Footwear News, 23 Jan. 2026

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

1935, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing duke

• duke it out
• grand duke

Rhymes for duke

• fluke
• juke
• kook
• luc
• luke
• nuke
• puke
• souk
• spook
• archduke
• rebuke
• caoutchouc

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