DON (HONORIFIC)

'''Don''', from Latin ''dominus'', is a Spanish (pron. ) and Portuguese ('''Dom''', ) honorific title. It is usually used as a mark of high esteem for a distinguished Christian hidalgo or fidalgo; that is, a nobleman. In English "Don" is usually preceded by a definite article ("the").
Its abbreviation, particularly in Portuguese, is "D." It is still used in reference to priests, like the French Dom. In Brazil it was not used in reference to nobles, but was used to refer to royals (both to the monarch and to princes), and, in the ranks of the clergy, it is only used to refer to Bishops or other senior ecclesiastical hierachs.
The use is roughly comparable to the style ''The Honourable'' of British custom, but closer to ''Lord'' or ''Lady'', although the analogy is a loose one, at best. The female version is '''Doña''' (Spanish, pron. IPA: []) and 'Dona' (Portuguese, pron. IPA: []) abbreviated "Dª".
''Don''/''Dom'' or ''Doña''/''Dona'' is attached to a person's given name. For example, if Señor Diego de la Vega is to be addressed as a ''don'', then the correct form of address would not be "Don de la Vega", but "Don Diego de la Vega" or simply "Don Diego".
At Oxford and Cambridge universities, members of the academic staff are often referred to as a ''Don''. In practice within Oxford it is used to refer to fellows of the colleges. At Cambridge it is rarely, if ever, used.
In North America, ''Don'' is sometimes used as an honorific for a Mafia crime boss.
In Spain the title is used to refer to a graduate of High School. Nowadays it is used as a standard title in mailing addresses, similarly as Mister is in English, but attached to the given name and generally preceded by the acronym Sr. (for Señor): Sr. Don Diego de la Vega or simply Don Diego de la Vega.
In Italy, it is the style to address a noble (as distinct from reigning) prince (''principe'') or duke (''duca''), and their children and agnatic descendants. Its feminine is ''donna''. It is also used to refer to a priest, or, less commonly, to monks.

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See also

See also

★ Don Camillo

★ Don Carlos

★ Don Giovanni

★ Don Juan

★ Don Pasquale

★ Don Quixote

★ Dom Pedro

★ Don Corleone

★ Don Vito