dona

¹ American  

[daw-nah] / ˈdɔ nɑ /

noun

1. (initial capital letter) Madam; Lady: a Portuguese title prefixed to a woman's given name.

2. (in Portuguese-speaking countries) a lady or gentlewoman.

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doña ² American  

[daw-nyah] / ˈdɔ nyɑ /

noun

1. (initial capital letter) Madam; Lady: a Spanish title prefixed to a woman's given name.

2. (in Spanish-speaking countries) a lady or gentlewoman.

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Doña ¹ British  

/ ˈdɒnjə, ˈdoɲa /

noun

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

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Dona ² British  

/ ˈdõːnə /

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of dona¹

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

Origin of doña²

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

Example Sentences

But Marina quickly picked up Spanish and emerged as a key advisor to the Spaniards, who were soon referring to her as “Doña Marina,” an honorific of respect.

From Los Angeles Times

The fossils were uncovered during a May 2025 excavation in the municipality of Dona Francisca in southern Brazil.

From Science Daily

She’s previously linked up with an array of artists — including La Doña, Rafa Esparza, Yesika Salgado and even country singer Kacey Musgraves, who featured San Cha in a pivotal moment from her 2021 visual album, “Star-Crossed.”

From Los Angeles Times

For Ryan and Amanda Dona, who got married in February, a wedding was a way to signal to their friends and families that they had graduated into a more secure stage of their lives.

From The Wall Street Journal

“He pulls it all off pretty good,” says Steve Forney, 40, of Kelso, Wash., a biker who parks his 1979 Harley shovelhead in a special spot at the door that Dona Elliott reserves for motorcycles.

From Los Angeles Times