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deuce

Etymology and origin of the English word deuce

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /djuːs/ (UK); /duːs/ (US)[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English deus, borrowed from Middle French deus (“two”),[2][3][4][5][6] from Latin duōs, the accusative of duo “two”.[2][3][4][5][6] The spelling with -ce reflects the voiceless pronunciation, as in dice.[4] The mild oath the deuce “the devil” is probably related, perhaps through Low German daus “two at dice; bad luck”.[2][4][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

The two-spot in a game of dice (about 1475);[3][4] a throw of two (1519).[7][3]

Semantic evolution

The tennis sense, a score of 40 all after which two successive points are needed to win, dates from 1598 and was influenced by French à deux de jeu.[3][7][4] Because two was the lowest and unluckiest throw at dice, deuce came to mean bad luck or mischief (1651) and then the devil, used in mild oaths such as what the deuce (by 1710).[7][4] The resemblance to Latin deus “god” may have helped.[4] A playing card with two pips is a deuce from 1680.[7]

Timeline

  • c. 1475 – the two at dice.[3][4]
  • 1598 – the tennis score.[7][3][4]
  • 1651 – bad luck; the devil.[7][4]
  • 1680 – a two in cards.[7]
  • 1710 – a mild oath.[4][7]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. A playing card with two pips, or the face of a die with two spots; a throw of two at dice.
  2. (tennis) A tied score of 40 all, or of five games all, after which one side must win two successive points or games.
  3. (dated) The devil, used in mild oaths, as in what the deuce?

Verb

  1. (tennis) To bring the score of (a game or set) to deuce.

Word family

  • deuced
  • two
  • duo
  • dual
  • devil
  • dickens

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  6. ^ a b c Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Deuce.” Etymologically, 11 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/deuce. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·