French Conversation · Level 11
89 words
French word
duchesse
Pronunciation
IPA/dyʃɛs/
Meaning
- feminine nounduchess
Example
La duchesse a salué la foule.
The duchess greeted the crowd.
More examples
La duchesse est montée sur le balcon.
The duchess went up onto the balcony.
Core concept
A high-ranking noblewoman associated with a duchy, either by holding its title or by marriage to its duke.
Similar words
princesse: A title for a woman who belongs to a royal family.
reine: A title for a woman who rules a country as its sovereign.
comtesse: A title for a woman who holds the rank of count or earl.
noble: A person of noble or aristocratic status.
Definition in French
Femme qui porte le titre de duc ; forme féminine du titre de duc, soit l'épouse d'un duc ou la femme titulaire du duché.
Word origin
French duchesse was formed from duc with the feminine suffix -esse, while duc comes from Latin dux, meaning a leader or commander.
Usage tips
- Duchesse is a feminine noun, and titles commonly appear with la and de, as in la duchesse de Bourgogne.