French word

ducat

Pronunciation

IPA/dyka/

Meaning

  • masculine nounducat

Example

Le musée expose un ducat du XVe siècle.

The museum displays a fifteenth-century ducat.

Illustration for ducat (ducat)

More examples

Est-ce un ducat?

Is it a ducat?

Core concept

An old European gold coin displayed as a tangible link between a ruler, a place, and past commerce.

Similar words

monnaie: Currency used in everyday transactions, including coins and banknotes.
pièce: A round metal coin used as money.

Definition in French

Pièce d'or nommée ducat, émise par des républiques, principautés et royaumes européens à partir du XIIIe siècle et conservée aujourd'hui comme pièce ancienne ou objet de collection.

Word origin

French borrowed ducat from Italian ducato, whose name derives from Latin ducatus and refers to a duke's governing power or territory.

Usage tips

  • The word is mainly historical or numismatic in French, so modern contexts usually concern museums, collections, or historical records.

Word lists with this word