duenna

noun

du·​en·​na dü-ˈe-nə How to pronounce duenna (audio)
dyü-
1
: an elderly woman serving as governess and companion to the younger ladies in a Spanish or a Portuguese family
2
duennaship noun

Word History

Etymology

Spanish dueña, from Latin domina mistress — more at dame

First Known Use

1623, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of duenna was in 1623

Dictionary Entries Near duenna

Cite this Entry

“Duenna.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/duenna. Accessed 4 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

duenna

noun
du·​en·​na d(y)ü-ˈen-ə How to pronounce duenna (audio)
1
: an elderly woman in charge of the younger ladies in a Spanish or Portuguese family
2

More from Merriam-Webster on duenna

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!