Where does “duke” come from?
Duke comes from Middle English duc, from Old French duc, from Latin dux meaning leader or commander, derived from Latin duco meaning to lead, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European dewk-.
duke (English): The male ruler of a duchy; The sovereign of a...
Definitions
- The male ruler of a duchy; The sovereign of a...
Ancestry of “duke”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old French | duc | duke |
| 2 | Latin | dux | leader, head; commander, general, captain;... |
| 3 | Latin | dūcō | — |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | doukō | lead |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | déwketi | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | dewk- | to pull, to draw; to lead |
Words derived from “duke”