The title, office, or position of being a duke; the rank and authority held by a duke in a noble hierarchy.
From 'duke' plus the suffix '-ship' (Old English '-scipe,' meaning state, condition, or office). The '-ship' suffix appears in 'friendship,' 'kinship,' and 'citizenship.'
The '-ship' suffix describes relationships and offices—'friendship' is the state of being friends, 'dukeship' is the state of being a duke, so it's really about what role you occupy.
Like dukedom, dukeship encodes male-specific succession in its formation. The -ship suffix historically attached to male offices; female equivalents were rarely formalized linguistically.
Use for the office/rank itself, but be explicit about gender inclusivity in context. Say 'dukeship held by [name]' rather than defaulting pronouns to 'he'.
["ducal office","ducal rank","ducal title"]
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