Duke

Outranks an earl

Duke is a masculine given name and surname, most associated with jazz legend Duke Ellington.

It also refers to Duke University in North Carolina, a prestigious private research institution known for academics and basketball: She got into Duke on a scholarship.

The Duke Blue Devils are the school's athletic teams. (Lowercase duke is a noble title.)

person

Ellington

Jazz composer and bandleader

jazzImprovisational American music genre
nicknameInformal substitute name
nameIdentifying word for someone

Wayne · John

university

Durham

City and county, England

CarolinaAtlantic coast region
basketballTeam sport with hoops
academicsProfessional researchers and teachers

scholarship · ACC · Devils · Cameron · private · research

Categories

universitiesuniversities, Harvard, Yale, Oxford, Cambridge
US UniversitiesUCLA, USC, Stanford, MIT, Yale
Elite CollegesStanford, MIT, Caltech, Northwestern, Georgetown
G.I. JoeScarlett, Firefly, Jinx, Bazooka, Cover Girl
Genesis AlbumsGenesis
noble titlesking, queen, prince, princess, baron

Opposites

social rank/nobility hierarchy

Dukepeasant

Low-status agricultural laborer

serf · commoner · pauper · servant · vassal

noble vs. common status

Dukepeasant

Low-status agricultural laborer

commoner · serf · plebeian · villein · lowborn

gender (noble titles)

Dukeduchess

Woman of ducal rank

Phrases

Duke of EdinburghRoyal title, Scottish peerage
duke it outEngage in physical combat
Daisy DukesUltra-short denim shorts
put up one's dukesAssume boxing posture
Duke Ellington
grand dukeRuler below king

Family

archduke, dukes, dukedom, archdukes

Familiarity: Top 200,000
Profile: Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G