First Known Use: 12th century
Dictionary
1duke
noun \ˈdük also ˈdyük\
: a man of very high rank in the British nobility
: the ruler of an independent area of land especially in some parts of Europe in the past
dukes : fists or hands
Full 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
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Origin of DUKE
Middle English, from Anglo-French duc, from Latin duc-, dux, from ducere to lead — more at tow
Other Government and Politics Terms
2duke
verb
dukedduk·ing
Definition of DUKE
intransitive verb
: fight
— duke it out
: to engage in a fight and especially a fistfight
See duke defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of DUKE
circa 1947
Duke
biographical name \ˈdük, ˈdyük\
Definition of DUKE
Benjamin Newton 1855–1929 & his bro. James Buchanan 1856–1925 Am. tobacco industrialists
DUKE Defined for Kids
duke
noun \ˈdük, ˈdyük\
Definition of DUKE for Kids
: a man of the highest rank of the British nobility
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