Duke of Windsor
1
8.4
- proper noun
:
duque de Windsor
- It's a cigarette case encrusted with diamonds that belonged to the Duke of Windsor.
- Duke of Windsor
Examples
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After his abdication, Edward VIII became the Duke of Windsor and lived mainly in France.
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I'm not suggesting you take up smoking, but I figured, you know... ...what's good enough for the Duke of Windsor, right?
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- I know the Duke of Windsor!
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Who's the Duke of Windsor?
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Of course, the real secret of Mrs. Simpson's appeal to the Duke of Windsor was that she could make a toothpick feel like a cigar.
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The Duke of Windsor was well-known for his controversial abdication in 1936.
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The Duke of Windsor married Wallis Simpson, which led to his historic abdication as King.
Synonyms
A British king in 1936 who gave up the throne to marry Wallis Simpson
Surface Forms
Morphology
The construction 'Duke of Windsor' is compositionally built from 'duke' + 'of' + 'Windsor', so a B1 learner who knows the words can infer it denotes a duke associated with Windsor (the pattern 'Duke of X' is common cross-linguistically). However, the specific historical reference (the title held by Edward VIII after his abdication and its controversial background) requires cultural/historical knowledge, so the exact meaning is not fully predictable from the parts alone.
Etymology
The title Duke of Windsor was the new name given to King Edward VIII after he gave up the throne in 1936 so he could marry Wallis Simpson. So, Duke marks his new rank and Windsor links him to the royal family, and the name now refers to Edward after his 'abdication'.