ducat

Etymology

From Middle French ducat, late Old French ducat, from Old Italian ducato, from Medieval Latin ducatus, from oblique stem of dux (“duke; leader”). Doublet of duchy.

noun

  1. (historical) A gold coin minted by various European nations.
    But when the innkeeper saw what kind of goat the lad had, he thought this was a goat worth having, so when the lad had fallen asleep, he took another goat which couldn't make any golden ducats, and put that in its place. 1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 166
  2. (informal) A coin of the major denomination (dollar, euro, etc.); money in general.
  3. (US, theater, transport, slang) A ticket.
    Ned Beaumont said, "Well, I've got a ducat that reads to there, anyway." 1931 Dashiell Hammett, The Glass Key, Vintage Books, (1972), Chapter IV, "The Dog House", part 1, pg. 73
    Customers are usually enticed in with a "ducat", or pass for one free dance. 1946, George Johnston, Skyscrapers in the Mist, page 88
    […] the lines at the box office since ducats went on sale publicly Wednesday […] June 11 1949, Billboard

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