The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Duchess \Duch"ess\, n. [F. duchesse, fr. duc duke.] The wife or widow of a duke; also, a lady who has the sovereignty of a duchy in her own right. [1913 Webster]WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
duchess n 1: the wife of a duke or a woman holding ducal title in her own right