Grand Duchessn.
/ˌɡran(d) ˈdʌtʃᵻs/, U.S. /ˌɡræn(d) ˈdətʃəs/ 1. (The title of) the wife or widow of a Grand Duke, or a woman holding in her own right the sovereignty of a Grand Duchy. Also (formerly): †the title of the mother of the king of Persia (obsolete).In quot. 1698 the title is held by virtue of being the wife of the Grand Duke of Muscovy, the title by which the Russian sovereign was formerly known.Quots. 1811 and 2012 refer to Elisa Bonaparte (1777–1820), Napoleon's younger sister, created Grand Duchess of Tuscany in her own right in 1809.
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society > society and the community > social class > nobility > rank > duke or duchess > [noun] > duchess > wife or widow of grand-duke
Grand Duchess1862
society > authority > rule or government > ruler or governor > sovereign ruler or monarch > other independent rulers > [noun] > grand-duke > grand-duchess
Great Duchess1601
Grand Duchess1862
1600 R. Winwood Let. 20 Nov. in E. Sawyer Memorials Affairs of State (1725) I. iv. 275 The Grand Dutchess not finding the King at Marseilles..dispatched presently a Messenger to the Great Duke.
1661 T. Salusbury Math. Coll. & Transl. I. Contents sig. ✶3.2 Galileus Galileus.., his epistle to her Serene Highnesse Christiana Lotheringa Grand Dutchesse of Tuscany.
1686 tr. J. Chardin Coronation Solyman 53 in Trav. Persia The Grand Dutchess (for that Title is given to the Mother of the New King from the very moment of her Sons being Crowned) was not in a worse condition.
1698 J. Crull Antient & Present State Muscovy II. i. 39 The Poles, who were lately come along with the Grand Dutchess, were in Arms.
1771 Gentleman's Mag. Feb. 114/2 The Grand Duchess, enraged, almost to distraction, at this insult and disappointment, determined to be revenged on the cardinal.
1811 Sporting Mag. May 94/2 The nurse of the little King of Rome is to be created Grand Duchess.
1862 Illustr. London News 5 July 19/2 Her Royal Highness the Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg Strelitz.
1931 Boys' Life Apr. 63/1 (advt.) Splendid set of 8 Luxembourg [stamps], including portraits of the Grand Duchess and Grand Duke Wilhelm.
1999 D. Sobel Galileo's Daughter iii. 29 The grand duchess again sent her horse-drawn conveyance to fetch Galileo.
2012 D. P. Jordan Napoleon & Revol. 90 Elisa [Bonaparte] seemed content as Grand Duchess of Tuscany and stayed away from her overbearing brother.
2. The title of any of the daughters or granddaughters of a Russian tsar (after the coronation of Ivan IV as tsar in 1547). Cf. Grand Duke n. 1b.
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society > society and the community > social class > nobility > rank > royalty > [noun] > royal person(s) > princess or wife of prince > daughter or grand-daughter of sovereign > specifically of Tsar > in Russia
Grand Duchess1741
1741 London Mag. Jan. 51/2 The Grand Duchess, Regent of Russia, was ready to succour her with 40,000 Tartars, Cossacks, and Calmucks.
a1757 P. H. Bruce Memoirs (1782) 125 The Imperial princess, consort to the czarowitz, was brought to bed of a daughter..who..had the title of grand duchess given her.
1841 E. Rigby Resid. Shores Baltic II. xii. 195 And..apart from all, sat in a solitary chair the Grand Duchess Olga, second daughter of the Emperor.
1896 Daily Tel. 27 May 7/1 The Grand Duchesses..wore..the..national veil or scarf, called sarafan.
1920 19th Cent. Sept. 384 The Grand Duchess Tatiana carried in her arms her little Pekingese dog.
2002 B. Hoey Her Majesty i. 1 A few Marie biscuits (appropriately named after the Grand Duchess Marie of Russia).
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2015; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1600