Definition of "doge"

In the thirteenth century, a new method of appointing the doge, by the famous ballot of Venice, a complicated mixture of choice and chance, was adopted.

1797, John Adams, A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States, page 62

This reply was one of the first important pronouncements to be made by Antonio Grimani, who on 6 July had been elected seventy-fourth Doge of Venice in succession to Leonardo Loredan.

1982, John Julius Norwich, chapter 34, in A History of Venice, page 346

Bobsled wasn't the only Dogecoin-backed sporting success. Fans of Nascar will recognise the car driven by Josh Wise, emblazoned, as it is, with the adorable little doge on its bonnet (pictured above).

2015 July 23, Dave Lee, “Six times Reddit wasn't completely awful”, in BBC‎