Duenna

Pronunciation: /dʒuˈɛnə/

Definitions of duenna

noun a chaperone or older woman in charge of young ladies, especially in a Spanish-speaking country

Example Sentences

A1 The duenna watched over the young children at the playground.

A2 The duenna accompanied the princess on her royal duties.

B1 The duenna was responsible for ensuring the proper behavior of the debutantes at the ball.

B2 The duenna was a trusted advisor to the queen, guiding her in matters of state.

C1 The duenna's strict demeanor belied a deep sense of loyalty and devotion to her charges.

C2 The duenna's wisdom and experience made her an invaluable counselor to the royal family.

Grammatical Forms of duenna

• past tense: duennaed
• plural: duennas
• comparative: more duenna
• superlative: most duenna
• present tense: duennas
• future tense: will duenna
• perfect tense: have duennaed
• continuous tense: is duennaing
• singular: duenna
• positive degree: duenna
• infinitive: to duenna
• gerund: duennaing
• participle: duennaed

Origin and Evolution of duenna

First Known Use: 1600 year

Language of Origin: Spanish

Story behind the word: The word 'duenna' originated from Spanish, derived from the Latin word domina, meaning 'lady' or 'mistress'.

Evolution of the word: Originally used to refer to a chaperone or governess, the term 'duenna' evolved over time to also signify an older woman who is overly strict or prudish in her behavior.