Spanish Conversation · Level 157
30 words
Spanish word
doncella
Pronunciation
IPA/donˈθeʝa/
Meaning
- feminine nounmaiden
Example
La doncella sonrió.
The maiden smiled.
More examples
En la obra del colegio, muchas niñas decidieron disfrazarse de doncella.
In the school play, many girls decided to dress up as maidens.
Core concept
Young woman presented as pure or innocent.
Common phrases
disfrazarse de doncella
dress up as a maiden
hacer el papel de doncella
play the role of a maiden
Similar words
chica: Young woman or girl in casual speech, everyday and informal tone.
señorita: Polite form of address for an unmarried young woman, respectful and slightly formal.
Definition in Spanish
Señala a una mujer joven, con frecuencia presentada como pura o inocente y usado sobre todo en contextos literarios o históricos.
Word origin
From Latin domina 'lady' plus the diminutive suffix -ella, via medieval Latin and Old Spanish, it denotes a young or little lady.
Usage tips
- A literary or historical word in modern Spanish and uncommon in casual speech, so speakers usually say chica or joven and use doncella mainly in stories and period descriptions.
Other meanings
- maidnoun
- virginnoun
Opposites
- mujer casadamarried womannoun