Skip to main content
archduchess

archduchess

1 9.9
A woman in Austria's ruling family by birth or by marrying a man from that family
  • noun
  • /ˈɑːrkˌduːtʃɪs/
: archiduquesa
  • During the ceremony, the archduchess wore a stunning crown that reflected her royal status.
  • archduchess Isabella
  • Archduchess Marie
  • Archduchess Antonia

Examples

  • Both men were involved in peace negotiations at The Hague, Aarschot as representative of the States General, Rubens as an unofficial observer and negotiator for the archduchess.

    Academic text (1996)
  • The letters soon became public knowledge after Aarschot sent copies to the archduchess and the States.

    Academic text (1996)
  • I have not looked at the archduchess's bosom, Your Majesty.

  • Despite letters from the archduchess Isabella written on his behalf, Aarschot was imprisoned for some months before being placed under house arrest in December 1634.

    Academic text (1996)
  • His Majesty, the Emperor Napoleon, wishes to make a formal offer to Austria and to His Majesty, King Francis, for the hand of the archduchess, Marie-Louise.

  • The Duchess was ecstatic, certain that Franz Ferdinand had fallen in love with her eldest daughter, the beautiful Archduchess Marie Christine.

  • When the duke arrived in Antwerp, he expected Rubens to present himself along with the papers that had been entrusted to him by the archduchess, but the painter merely sent Aarschot a brief note.

    Academic text (1996)
  • The archduchess hosted a grand ball to celebrate her family's heritage.

  • Many people admired the archduchess for her philanthropic work in the community.

Surface Forms

archduchess singular
archduchesses plural

Morphology

archduchess = archduke (transparent) = arch + duke + ess

Formed by adding the productive feminine suffix '-ess' to the recognized title 'archduke', yielding a predictable feminine counterpart.

Etymology

The word archduchess comes from the prefix arch- meaning 'chief' or 'highest' and duchess, the female form of duke. So, an archduchess is a very high-ranking female royal, such as a member of the Austrian imperial family.