duel

Pronunciation: /ˈdul/

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: B2 — Upper-Intermediate

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun a prearranged fight with deadly weapons by two people (accompanied by seconds) in order to settle a quarrel over a point of honor
  2. noun any struggle between two skillful opponents (individuals or groups)
  3. verb fight a duel, as over one's honor or a woman

Etymology

From Medieval Latin duellum (“fight between two men, duel”), itself from Old Latin duellum (“war, fight”), which survived in Classical Latin as a rare byform of bellum and was later reinterpreted as “duel” by unetymological association with duo (“two”). May have entered English through Middle French duel.

In classic literature

Synonyms

affaire d'honneur

Semantic network

Broader (hypernyms)
fight

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