duce

duce

See also: Duce

Italian

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin ducem (“leader”), from the nomen agentis form of Proto-Indo-European *dewk-, whence also dūcō (“to lead”). Compare the likewise borrowed doublets duca and doge.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈdu.t͡ʃe/
• Rhymes: -utʃe
• Hyphenation: dù‧ce

Noun

duce m (plural duci)

1. (archaic or literary) captain, leader, helm

   Synonyms: capitano, capo, condottiero

2. (by extension, after the Fascist era) an authoritarian leader

   Synonyms: autocrate, despota, dittatore, oppressore, tiranno

Derived terms

• Duce

Related terms

• ducato

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Latin

Verb

dūce

1. Alternative form of dūc (“lead!, guide!”), second-person singular present active imperative of dūcō.

Usage notes

While common in Plautus, dūc is the far more common variant in the classical period.

Noun

duce

1. ablative singular of dux

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Old English

Etymology

From the original meaning of "diver," from Proto-West Germanic *dūkan (“to duck, dive”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈduː.ke/, /ˈdu.ke/

Noun

dū̆ce f

1. duck (bird)

   Synonym: ened

Declension

Declension of duce (weak)

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	dūce	dūcan
accusative	dūcan	dūcan
genitive	dūcan	dūcena
dative	dūcan	dūcum

Descendants

• Middle English: doke, ducke, dukke, dokke, douke, duke
  • English: duck
  • Scots: duik, deuk, dook
  • Yola: duucks (plural)

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Romanian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈdu.t͡ʃe]

• Audio

  (file)

Etymology 1

From Latin dūcere, present active infinitive of dūcō, from Proto-Italic *doukō, from Proto-Indo-European *déwketi, from the root *dewk-.

Verb

a duce (third-person singular present duce, past participle dus) 3rd conj.

1. (transitive) to carry, to lead

   a duce de nas

   to lead by the nose

2. (intransitive) to lead, to go

   Drumul ăsta duce la casa mea.

   this road leads to my house

3. (reflexive, with accusative) to go

   Mă duc acasă.

   I'm going home.

4. (reflexive, with accusative; figuratively) to die

Conjugation

    conjugation of duce (third conjugation, past participle in -s)

infinitive			a duce
gerund			ducând
past participle			dus
number		singular			plural
person		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
indicative		eu	tu	el/ea	noi	voi	ei/ele
	present	duc	duci	duce	ducem	duceți	duc
	imperfect	duceam	duceai	ducea	duceam	duceați	duceau
	simple perfect	dusei	duseși	duse	duserăm	duserăți	duseră
	pluperfect	dusesem	duseseși	dusese	duseserăm	duseserăți	duseseră
subjunctive		eu	tu	el/ea	noi	voi	ei/ele
	present	să duc	să duci	să ducă	să ducem	să duceți	să ducă
imperative		—	tu	—	—	voi	—
	affirmative		du			duceți
	negative		nu duce			nu duceți

Derived terms

• ducă
• ducere

Related terms

• a aduce
• a arăduce
• a conduce
• a deduce
• a induce
• a introduce
• a produce
• a reduce
• a seduce

See also

• a merge
• a pleca
• a căra

Etymology 2

Modified, to be adapted to the Latin, from the older form ducă, itself from Italian duca, and partly through Byzantine Greek δούκα (doúka), ultimately from Latin dux, ducem.

Alternative forms

• ducă (archaic)

Noun

duce m (plural duci)

1. duke

Declension

Declension of duce

	singular		plural
	indefinite articulation	definite articulation	indefinite articulation	definite articulation
nominative/accusative	(un) duce	ducele	(niște) duci	ducii
genitive/dative	(unui) duce	ducelui	(unor) duci	ducilor
vocative	duce		ducilor