These two words are unrelated, despite the root du- meaning “two.”
Dual is an adjective that means “having two parts or versions.” You can compare it with other English words for things that come in twos, such as duo and duet:
The party served a dual purpose—birthday and graduation.
Duel is a noun referring to a special kind of fight or contest, traditionally between only two people. Originally, duel referred to a very specific kind of fight in Western European culture, but now the word can be used for almost any kind of contest between two people or groups:
The duel between China and America for influence in East Asia is heating up.
Traditional duels, however, which are now illegal, were fought with swords or guns—to the death. One person would formally challenge the other, usually over a matter of honor. The two duelists would set a time to meet, and bring back-up fighters (‘seconds’) who were obligated to finish the duel (and possibly be killed) if necessary. Even though people don’t fight many real duels anymore, English speakers still think of these traditional fights when they use the word duel, implying an honorable contest between two adversaries.
More Examples of How to Use "Dual" in a Sentence
- If you have dual citizenship—meaning you are a citizen of two different countries—you can work and travel freely between the two, though some government pensions may be affected depending on the country.
- The dual nature of reality is a central tenet of Hinduism.
- Dual enrollment programs allow high school students to take college courses at the same time they are completing their high school degree requirements.
- My daughter Amy is a dual major in chemistry and physics—I’m so proud of her!
- I guess I have a dual personality: sometimes shy, sometimes outgoing—depending on my social environment.
More Examples of How to Use "Duel" in a Sentence
- There was an all-out duel between the two brothers over who should inherit their grandfather's estate.
- After another bitter duel over their in-laws, Jane and her husband had a serious talk about their future.
- In medieval times, a duel was a formal battle between two mounted knights.
- In the United States, duels were once common among politicians, who would use them to settle disputes.
- A duel can be a clash of swords, or a clash of words—and you can’t always tell which is the more dangerous.