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ducats

Noun
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Gold or silver coins formerly used across Europe; frequently referenced in Renaissance literature and poetry to denote wealth or trade.

Detailed Definition
A ducat was a gold coin used in several European countries, especially in earlier centuries. In Dickinson's poem, the speaker says the lost world is worth more than money, naming ducats as a measure of wealth.
Example
Example in poetry:
Shakespeare’s Shylock asks, “Hath not a Jew eyes?” in The Merchant of Venice, where ducats symbolize mercantile wealth; “Of more esteem than ducats” contrasts love or honor with money; “Ten ducats rang in the purse like small brass bells” gives the old Venetian coin a sensory context; Ezra Pound’s Venetian references can help students connect ducats with trade and Renaissance city life
Additional Notes
The word in the poem refers to an old currency, which many modern readers may not recognize from the line 'Of more esteem than ducats.'; Found in the poem, Lost by Emily Dickinson
Also Known As
gold coins currency florins precious ducats
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