Question

From the given sentence, form a feminine noun from the masculine word given:
The Duke of Wales inaugurated the function.

a)Empress
b)Queen
c)Duchess
d)None of these.

Answer 1

Hint: The feminine form of ‘Duke’ is related to the masculine form and follows the general English rule of determination of feminine forms of a noun.

Complete step by step answer:
In general English usage, the feminine form of the noun ‘Duke’ is ‘Duchess’. A duke is referred to as a male person who holds the highest title in Britain. Unlike a prince, becoming a duke does not require a person to be of royal blood and can be bestowed upon a person by the king or queen on the throne of Britain. However, sometimes it is an inherited position. The female person occupying a similar position is known as duchess. Hence, option c is the correct option.

The empress is referred to as a lady who holds the highest sovereign power or rank in an empire. She is at a higher position than a duchess. The masculine form of ‘empress’ is ‘emperor’. Therefore, option a is an incorrect option. Similarly, a queen is referred to as a sovereign of an independent state, usually under an empire. She comes below the empress, although the terms’ queen’ and ‘empress’ are often used interchangeably. The masculine form of ‘queen’ is ‘king’. Therefore, option b is also not a correct option.


Note: Although all the words are quite similar in meaning, one should only focus on the general rule of English grammar with respect to feminine forms of a noun and not go into deep meanings of each word.