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 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

Trump’s animosity towards the duke and his American former TV actor wife stems from several grievances. —Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 6 Aug. 2024

Verb

State of play: For this month's Axios Chicago tournament, the worst of the worst will duke it out to be crowned the most annoying intersection in Chicago. —Justin Kaufmann, Axios, 30 Sep. 2024

But beneath this sunny exterior, Grand Harbor and several of its leading denizens are duking it out in the courts with Carl Icahn, the Wall Street heavyweight who made his fortune raiding corporations and striking billion-dollar deals. —John Hyatt, Forbes, 22 Sep. 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