Dictionary

prima donna en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˌpɹiːməˈdɒnə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Italian prima donna (“first lady”).

Meanings

1. (qualifier:opera) The principal female singer or the leading lady.
   • The truth is, the inhabitants of that languid and luxurious city wanted some little variety; and the minister ... supported a favourite actress in the range of first-rate characters in the Opera—supported her against the united musical opinion of Naples. One night she sang worse than ever; and the next morning half the city rose up, demanding liberty and a new prima donna. 1831, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], Romance and Reality. […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, pages 255–256:
2. (derogatory, informal) A person who considers themselves much more important than others, has high expectations of others and becomes angry when their demands are not met.
   • This year Mata has done more than anyone to give fresh belief that professional football is not only built on greed and staggering wages for its strutting prima donnas. The Manchester United and Spain midfielder, instead, has broken new ground and begun to use football’s power and wealth to help ordinary people around the world. 2018 January 1, Donald McRae, “The Guardian footballer of the year 2017: Juan Mata”, in the Guardian:
   • I've had enough of watching scenes / With schizophrenic, egocentric, paranoiac, prima-donnas 1971, John Lennon, “Gimme Some Truth”, in Imagine:

Forms

Deriveds

prima donnaish

Relateds

first lady

Synonyms

diva · Miss Piggy

Translations (31)

is prímadonna (person who considers themselves important) · it prima donna (opera singer) · pt diva (person who considers themselves important) · sv diva (person who considers themselves important) · pl primadonna (opera singer) · cmn 布馬多娜 /布马多娜 (person who considers themselves important) · es divo (person who considers themselves important) · pt prima-dona (opera singer) · es prima donna (opera singer) · sk primadona (opera singer) · cs primadona (person who considers themselves important) · ja プリマドンナ (person who considers themselves important) · is prímadonna (opera singer) · ga primadonna (opera singer) · cmn 布馬多娜 /布马多娜 (opera singer) · fr prima donna (person who considers themselves important) · ru примадо́нна (person who considers themselves important) · tl primadona (opera singer) · de Primadonna (person who considers themselves important) · ja プリマドンナ (opera singer) · ru примадо́нна (opera singer) · sk primadona (person who considers themselves important) · de Primadonna (opera singer) · gl prima donna (opera singer) · cs primadona (opera singer) · ga príomhamhránaí mná (opera singer) · sv primadonna (person who considers themselves important) · it primadonna (person who considers themselves important) · fr prima donna (opera singer) · tr primadonna (opera singer) · sv primadonna (opera singer)