A duchess is a woman at the very top of the old noble ranks, just under kings and queens. Most often she is the wife — or the widow — of a duke.

A duchess公爵夫人 is a woman指的是一位女性, at the very top of the old noble ranks站在古代貴族階級的最頂端, just under kings and queens僅次於國王和王后。Most often大多時候, she她 is the wife — or the widow — of a duke是公爵的妻子——或遺孀

More rarely a woman holds that rank in her own right, and then she is a duchess too, not only “someone’s wife.” In Britain you meet it in full titles (the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duchess of Sussex): formal, ceremonial language, the kind that belongs in royal news and history books.

More rarely比較少見的情況是, a woman一位女性 holds that rank in her own right憑自己的身分擁有這個爵位, and then這時候 she她 is a duchess too自己也是公爵夫人, not only "someone's wife."不只是「某人的妻子」。In Britain在英國, you你 meet it in full titles (the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duchess of Sussex)會在正式頭銜裡看到這個字（康沃爾公爵夫人、蘇塞克斯公爵夫人）: formal, ceremonial language這是正式、儀典性的用語, the kind that belongs in royal news and history books屬於王室新聞和歷史書裡的那種語言

People also stretch it. They may call a grand, beautifully dressed woman “a duchess” as a joke or a compliment, even when she has no title at all.

People大家 also stretch it也會把這個字延伸使用。They大家 may call可能會把 a grand, beautifully dressed woman一位氣派、盛裝打扮的女性 "a duchess"叫做「公爵夫人」 as a joke or a compliment當作玩笑或稱讚, even when she has no title at all即使她根本沒有任何頭銜

In Australian English there is a verb, to duchess someone: to treat them like royalty — soft words, fancy dinners — often because you want something from them. You will not hear that verb much in a Taiwan classroom; the noun is the one that matters.

In Australian English在澳洲英文裡, there is有 a verb, to duchess someone一個動詞叫 to duchess someone: to treat them like royalty意思是把某人當皇室一樣款待 — soft words, fancy dinners說好聽話、請吃豪華晚餐 — often because you want something from them通常是因為你想從對方那裡得到什麼。You你 will not hear that verb much不太會聽到這個動詞 in a Taiwan classroom在台灣的教室裡; the noun名詞的用法 is the one that matters才是重要的