(initial capital letter) Madam; Lady: a Portuguese title prefixed to a woman's given name.
(in Portuguese-speaking countries) a lady or gentlewoman.
(initial capital letter) Madam; Lady: a Spanish title prefixed to a woman's given name.
(in Spanish-speaking countries) a lady or gentlewoman.
1615–25; < Portuguese < Latin domina, feminine of dominus
1615–25; < Spanish < Latin domina, feminine of dominus
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Sin dona is serving a 25-year prison sentence in the U.S.
From Time Magazine Archive
See a diploma of Louis of the year 854 to the monastery of St. Gall in Germany, where it describes the usual "dona" for all monasteries as "Caballi duo cum scuteis et lanceis." v.
From The Communes of Lombardy from the VI. to the X. Century An Investigation of the Causes Which Led to the Development Of Municipal Unity Among the Lombard Communes. by Williams, William Klapp
John, however, ‘timet Danaos et dona ferentes,’ and hinted that his own popularity would be sacrificed if he did.
From The Greville Memoirs A Journal of the Reigns of King George IV and King William IV, Vol. III by Greville, Charles
"But timeo Danaos et dona ferentes," he continued bitterly.
From Historical Romances: Under the Red Robe, Count Hannibal, A Gentleman of France by Weyman, Stanley J.
“Requiem aeternam dona ei, Domine, Et lux perpetua luceat ei,” prayed the priest, and even as we responded the unhappy spirit took its flight.
From The Span o' Life A Tale of Louisbourg & Quebec by McIlwraith, Jean Newton
She looked more the part of a Mexican doña as she dawdled around her tiny apartment on a chilly Friday morning not long before coronavirus became a national crisis.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 29, 2020
Today you come back from a run to find her on the stoop, talking to la doña.
From The New Yorker ● Apr. 16, 2012
Each one claims to be guarding it for the doña.
From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez
If the doña insists on going, she can take that dirt road up ahead and then cross over onto the road that is paved all the way to the coffee barns.
From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez
José will bring the doña as many guavas as she is wanting.
From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez
Doña Chela stands by the packed luggage in her home.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2025
In fact, although much remains to be studied, the Doña Rama site would seem to be a mining town complete with a foundry, a processing area and, possibly, a fortress.
From Science Daily ● May 7, 2024
That's not how Doña Berta Silvestre sees it.
From BBC ● Feb. 3, 2024
About three-fifths of last year’s production came from counties other than Sierra, Doña Ana and Luna counties.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 31, 2023
And Doña Lola had nodded and then shook her head so that I wasn’t sure if she was agreeing with Mami or not.
From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago
A Stack Infrastructure project for a fourth OpenAI facility in Dona Ana County, N.M., raised about $18 billion.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 24, 2026
Niwunhellage Dona Nirodha Kalapni Niwunhella, known as Nirodha, 32, died at the scene at South Morgan Place in Riverside, Cardiff, on 21 August 2025.
From BBC ● Feb. 20, 2026
The fossils were uncovered during a May 2025 excavation in the municipality of Dona Francisca in southern Brazil.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 12, 2025
After returning home, Schallock had a blind date with Dona Bernard, and they married a year later.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 26, 2024
Later, when Marlenny and Marina and Dona Mercedes and Nino Carlitos and the boys ask, Where’s our beloved Virginia? she’ll only say, Oh, that longa must have run away.
From "The Queen of Water" by Laura Resau
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.
