ducal

adjective

du·​cal ˈdü-kəl How to pronounce ducal (audio)
 also  ˈdyü-
: of or relating to a duke or dukedom
ducally adverb

Examples of ducal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Guillaume, his father Henri and Prime Minister Luc Frieden are expected to sign a grand ducal decree appointing the prince as Lieutenant-Representative of the Grand Duke. Janine Henni, People.com, 7 Oct. 2024 When Carl and Stéphanie subsequently failed to produce a male heir, one of Countess Hochberg’s sons ascended the grand ducal throne. Mindy Weisberger, CNN, 21 Sep. 2024 The museum now holds three of the five Rubens sketches; the two others sold by the ducal family are still missing, though officials are trying to facilitate their return. Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 June 2024 My favorite moment in Dune: Part Two is when Chani (Zendaya) and Gurney (Josh Brolin) are both concerned about Paul (Timothée Chalamet) during his sermon, and then as soon as Paul pulls out his father’s ducal signet ring, Gurney instantly drinks the Kool-Aid. Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 May 2024 The character begins as ducal heir on the planet Caladan, training under his father (played by Oscar Isaac), mother (Rebecca Ferguson), mentor (Josh Brolin), swordmaster (Jason Momoa) and teacher (Stephen McKinley Henderson). Jack Smart, Peoplemag, 3 Mar. 2024 This fall, Barry Gibb, 77, sat in his ducal South Florida home sipping microwaved sake from a souvenir coffee mug. Karen Heller, Washington Post, 27 Nov. 2023 The glove is adorned with an array of national emblems such as the Tudor Rose, thistle, shamrock, oak leaves, and acorns, as well as a ducal coronet and the Dukes of Newcastle’s coat of arms. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 2 May 2023 Jordan paints a vibrant picture of Shropshire, a village with so much more to offer beyond the ducal seat at its edges — and in the process, makes a firm argument for more historical romances that dare to live outside the ballroom or even the aristocracy altogether. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 30 July 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ducal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin ducalis of a leader, from Latin duc-, dux leader — more at duke

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ducal was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near ducal

Cite this Entry

“Ducal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ducal. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

ducal

adjective
du·​cal ˈd(y)ü-kəl How to pronounce ducal (audio)
: of or relating to a duke or duchy
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!