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definitions

dona

[daw-nah]
|

noun

(initial capital letter) Madam; Lady: a Portuguese title prefixed to a woman's given name.
(in Portuguese-speaking countries) a lady or gentlewoman.

Origin of dona

1615–25; < Portuguese < Latin domina, feminine of dominus

doña

[daw-nyah]

noun

(initial capital letter) Madam; Lady: a Spanish title prefixed to a woman's given name.
(in Spanish-speaking countries) a lady or gentlewoman.

Origin of doña

1615–25; < Spanish < Latin domina, feminine of dominus

timeo Danaos et dona ferentes

[tim-e-oh dah-nah-ohs et doh-nah fe-ren-tes; English tim-ee-oh dan-ey-ohs et doh-nuh fuh-ren-teez]

Latin.

I fear the Greeks even when they bear gifts (I fear treacherous persons even when they appear to be friendly). Vergil's Aeneid: I, 2:49.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for dona

Contemporary Examples of dona

  • Dona Keefe, the mom from Indianapolis, is all-too-familiar with this during-school, after-dinner, full-time gangster business.

    The Daily Beast logo
    The Mafia Moms

    Brian Ries

    September 30, 2010

Historical Examples of dona

  • "I will obey you in all things, Dona Margaret," he answered humbly.

    Fair Margaret

    H. Rider Haggard

  • The Cross, however, is out of fashion, and so is the Dona Dulcinea motive.

    The Book of Khalid

    Ameen Rihani

  • Each, lying like Dona Brites on an altar-tomb, is clad in full armour.

    Portuguese Architecture

    Walter Crum Watson

  • Gaspar Ruiz saw the dark eyes of Dona Erminia look down at him.

    A Set of Six

    Joseph Conrad

  • I had to tell him that Dona Antonia, as a matter of fact, was not back in town yet.

British Dictionary definitions for dona

Dona

noun

a Portuguese title of address equivalent to Mrs or Madam : placed before a name to indicate respect

Word Origin for Dona

C19: from Latin domina lady, feminine of dominus master

Doña

noun

a Spanish title of address equivalent to Mrs or Madam : placed before a name to indicate respect

Word Origin for Doña

C17: via Spanish, from Latin domina; see Dona
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012