doncella

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish doncella (“maid”). Doublet of damsel, demoiselle, and donzella.

Noun

doncella (plural doncellas)

  1. A fish of Florida and the West Indies (Halichoeres radiatus).
  2. A ladyfish (Bodianus rufus) of the same region.

References

Spanish

Etymology

From a Vulgar Latin *domnicella (compare Old Occitan donçela, Portuguese donzela, French demoiselle), based on Latin domina (“lady, mistress”). Doublet of damisela.

Pronunciation

 
  • IPA(key): /donˈθeʝa/ [d̪õn̟ˈθe.ʝa] (most of Spain)
  • IPA(key): /donˈθeʎa/ [d̪õn̟ˈθe.ʎa] (rural northern Spain)
 
 
  • IPA(key): /donˈseʃa/ [d̪õnˈse.ʃa] (Buenos Aires and environs)
  • IPA(key): /donˈseʒa/ [d̪õnˈse.ʒa] (elsewhere in Argentina and Uruguay)

 

  • Syllabification: don‧ce‧lla

Noun

doncella f (plural doncellas)

  1. maid, maiden, damsel (girl or an unmarried young woman)
  2. abigail, lady's maid (female servant employed by an upper-class woman to attend to her personal needs)
  3. Mediterranean rainbow wrasse (Coris julis)

Derived terms

Further reading

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