: a woman having in her own right a rank equal to that of an archduke
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the WebBoth Marie-Antoinette, an Austrian archduchess by birth, and her husband, Louis XVI, were executed by guillotine in October 1793.CNN, 4 Oct. 2021 The formidable archduchess, by then nearly 50, had also grown up in Bavaria, but fought tooth and nail to impose her will on the Austrian court.National Geographic, 14 May 2019 Such was Sophie’s power that less than a year after the wedding, when Elisabeth gave birth to her first daughter, the archduchess insisted the child be named for her.National Geographic, 14 May 2019 Following the birth of Sisi’s second daughter, Gisela, the archduchess asserted control again—but this time Sisi stood up to her.National Geographic, 14 May 2019 Sarah Lipinski, a 26-year-old accountant, remembers sitting on a bench at the Clark and nursing her then 4-month-old daughter, Nadia, while the tour guide provided insights on a 1604 portrait of an Austrian archduchess. Polya Lesova, WSJ, 23 Apr. 2018
Word History
Etymology
French archiduchesse, feminine of archiduc archduke, from Middle French archeduc