doncella

noun

don·​cel·​la

dänˈselə

plural -s

1

: any of several brightly colored wrasses of the West Indies and Florida:

a

: the slippery dick and closely related fishes

b

: ladyfish sense b

2

: either of two West Indian timber trees (Byrsonima spicata and B. cuneata) valued for their hard wood compare surette

Word History

Etymology

American Spanish, from Spanish, girl, virgin, housemaid, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin domnicilla, diminutive of Latin domina lady

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