plural duchies
1
: the territory of a duke or duchess : dukedom
2
: special domain

Examples of duchy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Meanwhile, his eldest son Prince William chooses to use the revenue from the Duchy of Cornwall to pay for his public, private and charitable activities, per the duchy's FAQ. Janine Henni, People.com, 4 Nov. 2024 An investigation for Channel 4's flagship current affairs show Dispatches and The Sunday Times has uncovered thousands of documents showing for the first time how the duchies make their money. Jack Royston, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024 The investigation also revealed how the royal duchies receive millions from the armed forces, schools, prisons and fire and ambulance services. The Week Uk, theweek, 4 Nov. 2024 The independent duchies of sixteenth-century Italy established free ports, which allowed slavers safe passage and relieved import duties for transiting merchants in need of temporary storage for perishable goods like grain. Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for duchy 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English duche, from Anglo-French duché, from duc

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of duchy was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near duchy

Cite this Entry

“Duchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/duchy. Accessed 16 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

duchy

noun
plural duchies
: the territory of a duke or duchess

More from Merriam-Webster on duchy

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