Madonna

American  

[muh-don-uh] / məˈdɒn ə /

noun

1. Usually the Madonna the Virgin Mary.

2. a picture or statue representing the Virgin Mary.

3. Archaic. Often madonna an Italian title of formal address to a woman.

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Madonna ¹ British  

/ məˈdɒnə /

noun

1. RC Church a designation of the Virgin Mary

2. (sometimes not capital) a picture or statue of the Virgin Mary

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Madonna ² British  

/ məˈdɒnə /

noun

1. full name Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone. born 1958, US rock singer and film actress. Her records include "Like a Virgin" (1985), "Like a Prayer" (1989), Ray of Light (1998), Music (2000), and MDNA (2012). Her films include Desperately Seeking Susan (1985) and Evita (1996)

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Madonna ¹ Cultural  

1. A work of art depicting Mary, the mother of Jesus, especially one that shows her holding the infant Jesus; also a term for Mary herself. Madonna is Italian for “my lady.”

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Madonna ² Cultural  

1. An American pop singer known for her many incarnations, ranging from an early “Material Girl” to a movie star (Evita) to a mother and wife. Many consider Madonna a promotional genius for her ability to reinvent herself.

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Etymology

Origin of Madonna

First recorded in 1575–85; from Italian, from Old Italian ma donna “my lady”; donna ( def. )

Example Sentences

AC/DC, Jack White and Drake headlined, the latter bringing out Madonna for a smooch, but Florence + The Machine was one of the breakout performances from the year, literally.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026

Grammy-winner Pharrell Williams, who has worked with Jay Z, Mariah Carey, Kendrick Lamar and Madonna, received the global songwriter award.

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

Presented with the work thematically and chronologically, visitors are first introduced to Raphael’s origins and education, and then immersed in the world of Raphael’s multiple graphic and painted studies of the Madonna and Child.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker famously stormed the stage in protest while Michael Jackson performed surrounded by children in 1996, while Madonna suffered whiplash injuries in 2015.

From Barron's • Feb. 28, 2026

The whitewashed walls were adorned with a picture of the Madonna and Child that usually hung in Ida’s kitchen.”

From "The Thief Lord" by Cornelia Funke

Related Words

• madame