madonna

IPA/məˈdɒnə/
KK[mədˈɑnə]IPA/məˈdɑːnə/

madonna — noun

  • madonnasingular
  • madonnasplural

1. in the Christian religion, the title for the woman named Mary who gave birth to

1.nounB1
Definition

in the Christian religion, the title for the woman named Mary who gave birth to Jesus and is honoured as a holy figure

Example

Tariq learned about the Madonna in his class on world religions.

the Madonna as a proper noun referring to the Virgin Mary

In Christian tradition, the Madonna is the mother of Jesus Christ.

Common collocations
  • the Madonna
  • the Holy Madonna
  • the Blessed Madonna
  • Madonna and Child
Synonyms
  • the Virgin Mary

    the more formal and common title in English; 'Madonna' is more frequent in artistic and Italian-influenced contexts

  • Our Lady

    a reverent title used especially in Catholic prayer and liturgy; less common in general writing

  • the Mother of God

    a formal theological title emphasizing Mary's role as the mother of Jesus

Grammar Patterns

the Madonna

Usage Note

Always capitalized with a capital letter. Typically used with the definite article 'the' when referring to the person.

Common Mistakes

I prayed to a madonna.
I prayed to the Madonna.
The Virgin Mary as a person uses 'the' plus a capital letter, not the indefinite article.

2. a painting, statue, or other work of art that shows the Virgin Mary

2.nounB2
Definition

a painting, statue, or other work of art that shows the Virgin Mary

Example

An art dealer sold a small wooden Madonna from the fifteenth century.

countable noun: a + material + Madonna + time period

The museum displayed a rare Renaissance Madonna carved from white marble.

Common collocations
  • Renaissance Madonna
  • wooden Madonna
  • marble Madonna
  • ivory Madonna
  • paint a Madonna
  • carve a Madonna
Synonyms
  • image of the Virgin Mary

    more explicit and formal but less concise than 'Madonna'

  • icon

    specifically a religious painting on wood, common in Eastern Christian traditions; 'Madonna' is broader and more Western European

  • painting of Mary

    a plain-language equivalent that avoids Italianate terminology; less specific about the artistic style

  • statue of Mary

    used specifically for three-dimensional representations rather than paintings

Grammar Patterns

a/an + adjective + Madonna

a/an + Madonna + prepositional phrase

Usage Note

May be written with or without a capital letter. Commonly modified by words that describe the material (wooden, marble, ivory), the historical period (Renaissance, medieval), or the artist who created it.

Common Mistakes

I bought a Madonna.
I bought a wooden Madonna from a shop in Florence.
Without a modifier, the sentence is unclear whether you mean the person or a representation; adding material or context clarifies the meaning.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All three synonyms refer to Mary, the mother of Jesus, but they differ in register and context. 'The Virgin Mary' is the most neutral and widely understood title in English, suitable for both religious and academic writing. 'Our Lady' carries a warmer, more devotional tone and is used especially in Catholic prayer, hymns, and church names (e.g., Our Lady of Lourdes). 'The Mother of God' is the most formal and theologically precise term, used in creeds, formal doctrines, and Orthodox Christian contexts. In everyday conversation, a Catholic might say 'I said a prayer to Our Lady', while a history textbook would write 'the cult of the Virgin Mary grew in the Middle Ages.' A theology paper would use 'the Mother of God' when discussing the Council of Ephesus. 'Madonna' itself overlaps most closely with 'the Virgin Mary' but carries an Italian artistic flavour and appears most often in discussions of Renaissance paintings and sculpture.

the Virgin Mary ↗Our Ladythe Mother of God

Common collocations

Phrases

  • Madonna and Child
  • the cult of the Madonna
  • a depiction of the Madonna

Etymology

ItalianEnglish

The word 'madonna' comes from Italian 'madonna', which means 'my lady' — from 'ma' (short for 'mia', meaning 'my') and 'donna' (meaning 'lady', from Latin 'domina'). It was first used in Italy as a polite form of address for a woman, similar to 'madam'. By the 1500s, English speakers adopted it as a special title for the Virgin Mary, especially in the context of Italian art and religious culture.