Dictionary

duchess en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈdʌt͡ʃəs/
• /ˈdʌt͡ʃɪs/

Etymology

From Middle English duchesse, from Old French duchesse. Doublet of duchesse.

Meanings

1. The wife or widow of a duke.
   • The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have ended months of intense speculation by announcing they are expecting their first child, but were forced to share their news earlier than hoped because of the Duchess's admission to hospital on Monday. 2012 December 3, Caroline Davies, The Guardian:
2. The female ruler of a duchy.

Forms

Deriveds

duchessdom · duchesshood · dutch · Duchess · duchessly · archduchess · duchessness · Dutchess County · duchessy · grand duchess · duchess potatoes · duchesslike

Relateds

duchesse lace · duchesse · duchesse potatoes

Translations (113)

gl duquesa (female spouse or widow of a duke) · hi डचेस (female ruler of a duchy) · be княгі́ня (female spouse or widow of a duke) · haw duke wahine (female spouse or widow of a duke) · bg дуке́са (female ruler of a duchy) · pt duquesa (female ruler of a duchy) · ar دُوقَة (female spouse or widow of a duke) · hi डचेस (female spouse or widow of a duke) · hu hercegnő (female ruler of a duchy) · lt hercogė (female ruler of a duchy) · hy դքսուհի (female ruler of a duchy) · vo jidük (female ruler of a duchy) · id adipati perempuan (female ruler of a duchy) · it duchessa (female spouse or widow of a duke) · tl dukesa (female spouse or widow of a duke) · cmn 公爵夫人 (female spouse or widow of a duke) · tr düşes (female spouse or widow of a duke) · sk vojvodkyňa (female spouse or widow of a duke) · el δούκισσα (female spouse or widow of a duke) · fi herttuatar (female ruler of a duchy) · mk војвотка (female spouse or widow of a duke) · th ดัชเชส (female spouse or widow of a duke) · mi tutahe (female spouse or widow of a duke) · lv hercogiene (female spouse or widow of a duke) · cs vévodkyně (female ruler of a duchy) · pt duquesa (female spouse or widow of a duke) · bg херцоги́ня (female spouse or widow of a duke) · vo hidük (female ruler of a duchy) · lt hercogienė (female spouse or widow of a duke) · uk герцоги́ня (female spouse or widow of a duke) · sl vojvodinja (female spouse or widow of a duke) · el δούκισσα (female ruler of a duchy) · af hertogin (female ruler of a duchy) · et hertsoginna (female spouse or widow of a duke) · nrf duchêsse (female spouse or widow of a duke) · fr duchesse (female ruler of a duchy) · gd ban-diùc (female spouse or widow of a duke) · az hersoginya (female spouse or widow of a duke) · bg херцоги́ня (female ruler of a duchy) · lv hercogiene (female ruler of a duchy) · vo jidük (female spouse or widow of a duke) · mk војвотка (female ruler of a duchy) · hy դքսուհի (female spouse or widow of a duke) · ja 公爵夫人 (female spouse or widow of a duke) · id istri adipati (female spouse or widow of a duke) · vo dük (female spouse or widow of a duke) · sl vojvodinja (female ruler of a duchy) · sv hertiginna (female spouse or widow of a duke) · ru княги́ня (female ruler of a duchy) · gv bendiuic (female ruler of a duchy) · ga bandiúc (female ruler of a duchy) · uz gersoginya (female spouse or widow of a duke) · ru княги́ня (female spouse or widow of a duke) · be княгі́ня (female ruler of a duchy) · be герцагі́ня (female ruler of a duchy) · af hertogin (female spouse or widow of a duke) · tr düşes (female ruler of a duchy) · vo hidük (female spouse or widow of a duke) · uk княги́ня (female ruler of a duchy) · sh vòjvotkinja (female spouse or widow of a duke) · gd ban-diùc (female ruler of a duchy) · ca duquessa (female ruler of a duchy) · be герцагі́ня (female spouse or widow of a duke) · ko 여공작 (female ruler of a duchy) · sh vòjvotkinja (female ruler of a duchy) · ro ducesă (female spouse or widow of a duke) · es duquesa (female ruler of a duchy) · sh во̀јвоткиња (female spouse or widow of a duke) · fa-ira دوشِس (female ruler of a duchy) · nrf duchêsse (female ruler of a duchy) · fi herttuatar (female spouse or widow of a duke) · sv hertiginna (female ruler of a duchy) · fo hertugafrú (female spouse or widow of a duke) · nb hertuginne (female spouse or widow of a duke) · fr duchesse (female spouse or widow of a duke) · ota دوقسّه (female spouse or widow of a duke) · cs vévodkyně (female spouse or widow of a duke) · haw duke wahine (female ruler of a duchy) · nl hertogin (female spouse or widow of a duke) · nn hertuginne (female spouse or widow of a duke) · ga bandiúc (female spouse or widow of a duke) · ca duquessa (female spouse or widow of a duke) · ru герцоги́ня (female spouse or widow of a duke) · is hertogaynja (female spouse or widow of a duke) · cmn 女伯爵 (female ruler of a duchy) · gv bendiuic (female spouse or widow of a duke) · sk vojvodkyňa (female ruler of a duchy) · is hertogaynja (female ruler of a duchy) · cy duges (female ruler of a duchy) · pl księżna (female spouse or widow of a duke) · de Herzogin (female ruler of a duchy) · es duquesa (female spouse or widow of a duke) · eo dukino (female spouse or widow of a duke) · sh во̀јвоткиња (female ruler of a duchy) · fa-ira دوشِس (female spouse or widow of a duke) · pl księżna (female ruler of a duchy) · de Herzogin (female spouse or widow of a duke) · uk герцоги́ня (female ruler of a duchy) · ru герцоги́ня (female ruler of a duchy) · ko 공작부인 (female spouse or widow of a duke) · gl duquesa (female ruler of a duchy) · oc duquessa (female spouse or widow of a duke) · mr डचेस (female spouse or widow of a duke) · ko 녀공작 (female ruler of a duchy) · vo dük (female ruler of a duchy) · nl hertogin (female ruler of a duchy) · mr डचेस (female ruler of a duchy) · cy duges (female spouse or widow of a duke) · hu hercegné (female spouse or widow of a duke) · bg дуке́са (female spouse or widow of a duke) · uk княги́ня (female spouse or widow of a duke) · th ดัชเชส (female ruler of a duchy) · da hertuginde (female spouse or widow of a duke)

duchess en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈdʌt͡ʃəs/
• /ˈdʌt͡ʃɪs/

Etymology

From Middle English duchesse, from Old French duchesse. Doublet of duchesse.

Meanings

1. (Australia, informal) To court or curry favour for political or business advantage; to flatter obsequiously.
   • ‘A word to the wise, Murray. Those wogs you′ve been duchessing at Ethnic Affairs have got nothing on the culture vultures. Tear the flesh right off your bones, they will.’ 1996, Shane Maloney, The Brush-Off, published 2003, page 46:
   • The traditional version of Hughes′ decision to introduce conscription gives central importance to his visit to London in April 1916 where it is alleged he was duchessed and deceived concerning recruitment figures. 2004, Humphrey McQueen, A New Britannia, Fourth Edition, page 66:
   • On arrival in England he was “duchessed” in a manner that no Australian Prime Minister has ever been “duchessed” before or since. Northcliffe was looking for someone around whom he could build a campaign against Asquith. Hughes filled the bill nicely. 1956, John Thomas Lang, I Remember, page 64:
   • But by 1914 Grayson had, according to Groves, been thoroughly duchessed, believing that he could enjoy the good things in life and still serve the cause. 2006, Jacqueline Dickenson, Renegades and Rats: Betrayal and the Remaking of Radical Organisations in Britain and Australia, page 144:

Forms