doge: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Historical / Formal (original meaning); Informal / Slang (internet meaning)
Quick answer
What does “doge” mean?
The chief magistrate in the former republics of Venice and Genoa.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The chief magistrate in the former republics of Venice and Genoa.
1. A historical title for the elected ruler of Venice or Genoa. 2. In modern internet culture, a meme featuring a Shiba Inu dog with captions in broken, humorous English (often 'dog' misspelled as 'doge'). 3. A term for the Shiba Inu breed popularized by the meme.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant variation for the historical term. The internet meme term is globally uniform in online communities.
Connotations
Historical term connotes medieval/Renaissance Italian history. Internet term connotes early 2010s humor, cryptocurrency (Dogecoin), and online culture.
Frequency
The historical term is extremely low frequency, primarily in academic/historical contexts. The internet term saw peak frequency circa 2013-2014 and remains recognized but less actively used.
Grammar
How to Use “doge” in a Sentence
The [Doge] of [Venice] ruled...[Such/very] [adjective] dogeTo invest in [Doge]coinVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “doge” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- (Not standard for either meaning)
American English
- (Not standard for either meaning)
adverb
British English
- (Not used as an adverb)
American English
- (Not used as an adverb)
adjective
British English
- The doge meme era is nostalgic.
- Doge-themed merchandise
American English
- That's such a doge moment.
- Doge coin investment
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually unused, except in reference to the cryptocurrency Dogecoin.
Academic
Used in historical texts regarding the Venetian or Genoese republics.
Everyday
Extremely rare unless discussing internet memes or cryptocurrency humorously.
Technical
Specific to historical scholarship or internet culture analysis.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “doge”
- Pronouncing the historical term as one syllable (like 'dodge').
- Using the meme spelling ('doge') in formal writing for 'dog'.
- Assuming the two meanings are etymologically related.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditionally, it is pronounced /doʊdʒ/ (US) or /dəʊdʒ/ (UK), with a soft 'g' sound like in 'gem'. It has two syllables (DOHJ).
Yes, Dogecoin, the cryptocurrency, is named after the 'doge' internet meme. Its logo features the Shiba Inu from the meme.
No. 'Doge' as a misspelling is strictly informal, humorous, or related to the specific meme. Use 'dog' for standard English.
Yes, Enrico Dandolo (doge 1192-1205) was a prominent figure during the Fourth Crusade, and Leonardo Loredan (doge 1501-1521) is famous from Renaissance portraits.
The chief magistrate in the former republics of Venice and Genoa.
Doge is usually historical / formal (original meaning); informal / slang (internet meaning) in register.
Doge: in British English it is pronounced /dəʊdʒ/ (historical); /dəʊɡ/ or /doʊɡ/ (internet), and in American English it is pronounced /doʊdʒ/ (historical); /doʊɡ/ (internet). Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Such [X], very [Y], wow (doge meme syntax)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
The DOGE of Venice lived in a DODGE-y palace? (No, but it rhymes). For the meme: DOG + E = the extra 'e' makes it funny.
Conceptual Metaphor
HISTORICAL: LEADER IS A PILLAR OF STATE. INTERNET: HUMOR IS INTENTIONALLY BROKEN COMMUNICATION.
Practice
Quiz
In internet culture, 'doge' primarily refers to: