duenna

[ doo-en-uh, dyoo- ]
/ duˈɛn ə, dyu- /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR duenna ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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

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advocate
to give up possession or occupancy of.
to speak or write in favor of; support or urge by argument; recommend publicly.
to pronounce or decree by judicial sentence.
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Origin of duenna

1660–70; < Spanish duenna (now dueña) < Latin domina, feminine of dominus master

OTHER WORDS FROM duenna

du·en·na·ship, noun

Words nearby duenna

duecento, duel, duelist, duello, duende, duenna, duero, dues, dues-paying, duet, duetting
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to duenna

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

Example sentences 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