archduchy

From French archiduché, from Middle French, itself from archi- (“arch-”) < Latin archi- + duché (“duchy, dukedom”) < Latin dux (“leader, commander, duke”).

archduchy (plural archduchies)

1. The territory (principality) of an archduke.
   • 1982, Hajo Holborn, A History of Modern Germany: The Reformation, page 319:

     According to the provisions of the "renewed land order," which was finally issued in 1627 for Bohemia, and in the following year for Moravia, the two countries became hereditary Habsburg territories like the Austrian archduchies.

• archducal
• archdukedom

• grand duchy