English
duc
Duc comes from French duc ‘duke (nobleman)’, from Latin dūcō ‘to lead’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dewk- ‘to draw, pull’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dewk-‘to draw, pull’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*déwkti‘to pull, to draw’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*doukō‘to lead’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdūcōas dūcere‘to lead’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEducem‘duke, commander’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400duc‘duke (nobleman)’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600same form‘duke (nobleman)’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentsame form‘duke (nobleman)’
- Englishearliest quotation 1868same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dewk-‘to draw, pull’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*déwkti‘to pull, to draw’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*doukō‘to lead’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdūcōas dūcere‘to lead’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEducem‘duke, commander’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400duc‘duke (nobleman)’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600same form‘duke (nobleman)’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentsame form‘duke (nobleman)’
- Englishearliest quotation 1868same form
Earliest quotation: 1868, Our Monthly Gossip: “The ambition of modern ducs and duchesses is not…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *dewk- ‘to draw, pull’
team, tie, touch, toy, introduce, tow, tying, tighten, tug, duchess, tuck, herzog, tether, taut, untie, tew, teem, induct, 93 more
through Proto-Indo-European *déwkti ‘to pull, to draw’
unproductive, productively, abductor, preproduction, 92 more
through Proto-Italic *doukō ‘to lead’
producer, productive, productivity, reproduction, conductor, reproduce, byproduct, conduction, inductive, deduct, subduction, transduction, reductive, overproduction, abduct, inductor, ductile, adductor, adduct, 96 more
through Latin dūcō ‘to lead’
education, production, product, produce, introduction, reduce, conduct, reduction, conn, educate, induction, douche, educator, deduction, induce, conducive, seduction, subdue, cond, duct, seduce, redoubt, transducer, redux, dukedom, dux, ducal, duce, 115 more
through Latin ducem ‘duke, commander’
through Old French duc ‘duke (nobleman)’
through French duc ‘duke (nobleman)’
Today it means
noun A French duke.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dewk- / duc