ducat

noun doo-KAH Rare

Origin: From Italian ducato, a coin of the duchy

Usage Note

Ducat refers to a gold or silver coin that was the main currency of Venice and other European states from the 13th to 18th century. The final -t is silent. Today the word appears mainly in historical literature, Shakespeare translations, and period dramas. The plural is ducats.

Examples

"Il paya dix ducats pour ce tableau."

Natural Translation

He paid ten ducats for that painting.

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