don Italian · revision 38747

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited, clipping|attested=1207–1208, Venetian treaty with Aleppo|origins=la domus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈdɔn/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''don''' ''m'' (feminine donna or madama)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old Italian also wrote ''dom'' and ''donn'';^(TLIO)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(GDLI) Tuscan doubles the ⟨n⟩ before a vowel, as in ''donn'Alessandro''.^(TLIO)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|roa-oit|donno|t=lord, master]], shortened in front of a proper name.^(DELI 1999)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)^(Treccani 2011)^(Wiktionary) The Old Italian word is [[inh|la-lat|domnus]], the syncopated form of [[la|dominus|t=master of a household, lord]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(DEI|1380)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary) Dante still has ''dom'no''.^(Wiktionary) The same word is [[fro|dam]], [[oc|don]], [[ca|don]], [[es|don]] and [[es|dueño]], [[pt|dom]] and [[pt|dono]], and [[ro|domn]]; the DÉRom reconstructs a Proto-Romance */ˈdɔmn-u/, continued in every branch except Dalmatian, Friulian, Ladin and Romansh, and dates it to the period before Sardinian split off.^(Nocentini 2010)^(DÉRom)

+

+ According to Leone's study, summarised in DELI, the title began in Christian Latin, where “dominus” was used in the sense “saint”, and the medieval type “domnus Cethegus” followed.^(DELI 1999) In early Italian it gave way to titles of feudal and French origin such as [[messere]], [[sere]] and [[monsignore]], and survived mainly among the clergy until the Spanish ceremonial fashion of the 16th and 17th centuries revived it, together with [[m|es|don]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ Latin [[m|la|dominus]] is derived from [[m|la|domus|t=house]], from [[itc-pro|*dom-o-no-]] “of the house”;^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Pinault's reconstruction “one who profits from the house” is less certain.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is the Venetian treaty with Aleppo of 1207–1208.^(TLIO) In Florentine texts of 1278–1279 it appears as ''dom'', for example “a dom Francesco, monaco dell'ordine da Settimo” (“to Dom Francesco, monk of the order of Settimo”), and the form ''don'' is in Giovanni Villani (before 1348), who writes of ''Don Arrigo'', second son of the king of Spain.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the Middle Ages the clerical title was reserved for prelates, abbots and Benedictine monks; it was later extended to all secular clergy.^(GDLI)^(Zingarelli 2010) Among laymen it was the title of Spanish and Portuguese princes and grandees, and spread to the nobility of the Spanish-ruled parts of Italy; in the south it became a general mark of respect for any person of standing.^(GDLI)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011) The TLIO also records it as the equivalent of ''donno'' “lord”.^(TLIO)

+

+ The Benedictine title [[fr|dom]], was borrowed from Italian, and DEI dates [[fr|don]], from Spanish, to the 16th century.^(Wiktionary)^(DEI|1380) The names of literary characters gave nouns: ''donchisciotte'' “a quixotic dreamer” (18th century) and ''dongiovanni'' “a womaniser” (1880).^(Nocentini 2010) American English took ''don'' in 1952 as the title of a Mafia boss, from Italian and Spanish.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1207–1208 – The Venetian treaty with Aleppo uses ''don''.^(TLIO)

+ * 1278–1279 – Florentine texts have ''dom'' before a monk's name.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1348 – Giovanni Villani writes ''don''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 16th–17th centuries – Spanish fashion spreads the title in Italy.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 18th century – ''Donchisciotte'' is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1880 – ''Dongiovanni'' is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1952 – English ''don'' is used of a Mafia boss.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A title of honour placed before the name or surname of a [[m|en|priest]] or of members of some religious orders: ''Domenica dirà la messa don Paolo.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(historical)'' A title of princes and [[m|en|nobility|alt=nobles]], especially Spanish and Portuguese ones.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(southern Italy)'' A title of respect placed before the first name of a person of standing.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[donchisciotte]]

+ * [[dongiovanni]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[donno]]

+ * [[donna]]

+ * [[duomo]]

+ * [[la|dominus]]

+ * [[es|don]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Don'' is invariable and is used without the article; the feminine is ''donna''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(Wiktionary) Before a consonant it may assimilate in speech, as in ''don Bosco'' /domˈbɔsko/.^(DiPI) A separate, imitative ''don'' renders the stroke of a bell or a clock, usually repeated (''din don''); DELI dates it to the end of the 13th century, in Folgore da San Gimignano.^(DELI 1999)^(TLIO)^(GRADIT 2003) An old poetic ''don'' “whence”, from Old French ''dont'', is in Dante da Maiano.^(DEI|1380)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}