madonna

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   an artistic representation of the Virgin Mary, especially with the infant Jesus

   The gallery displayed a Renaissance madonna against a mountainous landscape.

2. 2
   noun

   literary or dated: a woman regarded as ideally pure, beautiful, or maternal

   The portrait presented her as a serene madonna.

Simplified etymology

Madonna was borrowed from Italian in the late 16th century. It means “my lady” and became an English title for the Virgin Mary.

From Italian madonna, literally 'my lady,' formed from ma, 'my,' and donna, 'lady.' In English the common noun chiefly denotes an image of the Virgin Mary and child.

Topics

External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary