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duenna

[ doo-en-uh, dyoo- ]
/ duˈɛn ə, dyu- /
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noun

(in Spain and Portugal) an older woman serving as escort or chaperon of a young lady.
a governess.

RELATED WORDS

nanny, matron, guardian, mistress, teacher, tutoress, protector, convoy, monitor, governess, companion, guard, scout, usher, escort, overseer, safeguard, guide, surveillant

Nearby words

  1. duecento,
  2. duel,
  3. duelist,
  4. duello,
  5. duende,
  6. duero,
  7. dues,
  8. dues-paying,
  9. duet,
  10. duetting

Origin of duenna

1660–70; < Spanish duenna (now dueña) < Latin domina, feminine of dominus master
Related formsdu·en·na·ship, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for duenna

British Dictionary definitions for duenna

duenna

/ (djuːˈɛnə) /

noun

(in Spain and Portugal, etc) an elderly woman retained by a family to act as governess and chaperon to young girls

Word Origin for duenna

C17: from Spanish dueña, from Latin domina lady, feminine of dominus master
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
Word Origin and History for duenna

duenna

n.

1660s, "chief lady in waiting upon the queen of Spain," also "an elderly woman in charge of girls from a Spanish family," from Spanish dueña "married lady, mistress" (fem. of dueño "master"), from Latin domina (see dame). Sense extended in English to "any elderly woman chaperon of a younger woman" (1708).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper