ducat

plural ducats · alternative ducket

1. historicalA gold coin minted by various European nations.

   Shylock: "My daughter! O my ducats! Fled with a Christian! O my Christian ducats! Justice! the law! my ducats, and my daughter!..."

   c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene viii]

   1 more example

   But when the innkeeper saw what kind of goat the lad had, he thought this was a goat worth having, so when the lad had fallen asleep, he took another goat which couldn't make any golden ducats, and put that in its place.

   1886, Peter Christen Asbjø￵rnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 166

2. informalA coin of the major denomination (dollar, euro, etc.); money in general.
3. USslangentertainmentA ticket.

   Ned Beaumont said, "Well, I've got a ducat that reads to there, anyway.

   1972 [1931], Dashiell Hammett, “IV. The Dog House”, in The Glass Key, Vintage Books, page 73

   2 more examples

   Customers are usually enticed in with a "ducat", or pass for one free dance.

   1946, George Johnston, Skyscrapers in the Mist, page 88

   […] the lines at the box office since ducats went on sale publicly Wednesday […]

   1949 June 11, Billboard

plural Ducats

1. A surname.