duenna
Americannoun
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(in Spain and Portugal) an older woman serving as escort or chaperon of a young lady.
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a governess.
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of duenna
First recorded in 1660–70; from older Spanish duenna (modern Spanish dueña ), from Latin domina, feminine of dominus “lord, master”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
THE DUENNA: Ay, I could eat myself sick on them!
From Cyrano De Bergerac by Guillemard, Mary F.
THE DUENNA: Ay, to the core of my heart!
From Cyrano De Bergerac by Guillemard, Mary F.
THE DUENNA: If made with cream, Sir, I love them passing well.
From Cyrano De Bergerac by Guillemard, Mary F.
THE DUENNA: To-morrow, at the early blush of dawn, We go to hear mass at St. Roch.
From Cyrano De Bergerac by Guillemard, Mary F.
THE DUENNA: Well, but how came it about that you were thus ruined?
From Cyrano De Bergerac by Guillemard, Mary F.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
