don

1 of 3

verb

donned; donning

transitive verb

1
: to put on (an article of clothing)
donned his hat and gloves
2
: to wrap oneself in : take on sense 3a
the donning of new and more tyrannous moralitiesEdward Sapir

don

2 of 3

noun

1
: a head (see head entry 1 sense 6a), tutor, or fellow (see fellow sense 5) in a college of Oxford or Cambridge University
she didn't want to be a don's wife and live in Oxford foreverVirginia Woolf
broadly : a college or university professor
2
[Italian, title of respect, from donno, literally, lord, from Latin dominus] : a powerful Mafia leader
3
: a Spanish nobleman or gentleman
used as a title prefixed to the Christian name
4
archaic : a person of consequence : grandee
the great dons of witJohn Dryden

DON

3 of 3

abbreviation

director of nursing

Examples of don in a Sentence

Verb He donned his gloves and hat. she donned her best gown for the ball
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Next up, actress Ruth Negga donned a Diotima look from the brand’s recent presentation at New York Fashion Week styled by Karla Welch. Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 27 Feb. 2025 Along with her Mother Denim blue jeans and the protective wear the Duchess of Sussex dons for the moment, Markle wears a pair of Le Chameau boots. Julia Teti, WWD, 27 Feb. 2025
Noun
In their low-income neighborhoods, the dons perform state-like functions, including providing social assistance and ensuring public safety. Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025 Cambridge math dons, government spooks, think-tankers, Iraqi archeologists: Of course they’re all caught up in a plot to save or destroy the world. Graham Hillard, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 21 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for don

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, contraction of do on

Noun

Spanish, from Latin dominus master — more at dame

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1523, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of don was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Don.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/don. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

don

1 of 2 verb
donned; donning
: to dress oneself in : put on

don

2 of 2 noun
1
: a Spanish nobleman or gentleman
used as a title
2
: a teacher in a college or university
Etymology

Verb

from a contraction of do on

Noun

from Spanish don "a nobleman or gentleman," from Latin dominus "master, owner" — related to dame, dominate

Geographical Definition

Don

geographical name

river 1224 miles (1969 kilometers) long in Russia in Europe flowing southeast and then southwest into the Sea of Azov

More from Merriam-Webster on don

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!