Madonna
/məˈdɒnə/noun
A title for the Virgin Mary, or a respectful Italian form of address for a woman.
Did you know?The word comes from Italian *ma donna* (“my lady”), ultimately from Latin *mea domina*, and it became one of the most loaded titles in Christian Europe for the Virgin Mary.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
mea domina
“my lady; my mistress”
Medieval Italian
Italian
ma donna
“my lady”
14th Century
Italian
madonna
“a respectful title for the Virgin Mary; later, a title for noble women”
16th Century
English
madonna
“the Virgin Mary in Italian contexts and art”
Modern English
English
madonna
“a title for the Virgin Mary, or a respectful Italian form of address for a woman”