Definition of DUEL

duel

Plural: duels

Noun

  • a prearranged fight with deadly weapons by two people (accompanied by seconds) in order to settle a quarrel over a point of honor
  • any struggle between two skillful opponents (individuals or groups)
  • Arranged, regular combat between two private persons, often over a matter of honor.
  • Historically, the wager of battle (judicial combat).
  • Any battle or struggle between two contending persons, forces, groups, or ideas.

Verb

  • fight a duel, as over one's honor or a woman
    • "In the 19th century, men often dueled over small matters"
  • To engage in a battle.
  • DUELED, DUELING, DUELS or DUELLED, DUELLING, DUELS to fight formally

Examples

  • "a sniper duel"
  • "The two dogs were duelling for the bone."

Origin / 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.

Synonyms

affaire d'honneur

Scrabble Score: 5

duel: valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
duel: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
duel: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 7

duel is a valid Words With Friends word