However, some of these singers were infamously demanding, and the position became associated with a certain stereotype. The corresponding term for the male lead (almost always a tenor) is "primo uomo". Example: After the director had a fight with his lead actor, he accused him of being a selfish prima donna who was impossible to work with. Though the term is still perhaps most often associated with performers or entertainers, it can be applied to any person who acts in such a way. Is this Gap Between New Studs And Joists Okay (Non-Structural)? What are some words that often get used in discussing prima donna? Junior employee has made really slow progress, Convert all small words (2-3 characters) to upper case with awk or sed. To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. Wimbledon 2015: is Nick Kyrgios a petulant prima donna or simply showing his passion? Female politicians or entertainers are patronised and criticised for being bossy and difficult divas rather than just ambitious and assertive like their male counterparts. https://t.co/6tqbq8lu6c, Phil Rogers (@philgrogers) March 31, 2020, For more than half my life I thought that a prima Donna was a pre-Madonna. Brava prima donna! Site design / logo 2022 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. I am hungry for more ways to communicate it. The prima donna receives the best roles. Middleton only bridles when asked about the likelihood of marrying his girlfriend, the presenter Donna Air. A word or phrase to describe someone who is obsessed with words? The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition We have a challenge that will make you blush: do you know the many words and ways to describe the opposite of red? Words to describe a strategic choice that is also a lie? On "That 70's Show" why did Donna go from being a redhead to being a blonde? Thanks for contributing an answer to English Language & Usage Stack Exchange! Which of the following words accurately describes a prima donna? Ranbir is a decent actor, but he's such a prima donna." Italian, literally, goddess, from Latin, feminine of divus divine, god more at deity. Today, when we call someone a prima donna, it usually has nothing to do with opera and simply refers to a spoiled, entitled person who expects preferential treatment and throws a tantrum when they dont get it. Some people may apply the term to themselves to imply something about their talent or the type of treatment they expect, but calling someone a prima donna is never a compliment. When you buy via the links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Prima donna is Italian for first lady. A word/phrase to describe implicit expectations between people. Does anyone know how many sexual encounters Donna Martin had on Beverly Hills 90210? What is the source for C.S. The writer has a hard time not coming off as pain-in-the-butt prima donna, alienating co-workers. The word diva was derived from the Italian for a female deity, or goddess, and closely associated with prima donna. Is there a word that means "relax", but with negative connotations? a first or principal female singer of an opera company. In the movie "The Fifth Element" the song that the Diva sings is a real song. Privacy Policy. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. D. none of the above. Over time most writers stop looking at what happens after they hit send. What are some other forms related to prima donna? In the context of opera, the equivalent term for the leading male singer is primo uomo. Originally used in opera companies, "prima donna" is Italian for "first lady". Prima donna is commonly used as a negative term for a person whos extremely self-centered and temperamental. Entitled and vain are the words that come to mind. The word entered into English opera house usage in the later 19th century. Wear a dress that hits right above your knees for maximum impact, like this pretty Diva Convertible dress. How to use a word that (literally) drives some pe Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference. William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 HarperCollins They move on to next story. Even here the glorious voice of the prima donna floated clear as a silver bell. The definition of a diva is a successful female singer, especially a female opera singer, or a demanding and spoiled woman. Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words? In order for your doggie diva to look her best, cut any long hair away from her paws and trim her nails before you apply the polish. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. The literal meaning of prima donna is the lead or main female singer in an opera company. Interesting that divo still retains its meaning as the leading and most talented tenor. What Autonomous Recording Units (ARU) allow on-board compression? if a team asks me to play somewhere else, I'm not going to be a, Donna was a talented R&B backup singer in Munich, Germany when Italian producer Giorgio Moroder turned her into an International disco, Going on the show and then making yourself the center of attention with an abundance of fussing and feuding, screaming and yelling, drinking and, According to the local lore, government cabinet meetings used to take place on a houseboat owned by Mounira al-Mahdia, a celebrated 1920s, According to local lore, government Cabinet meetings used to take place on a houseboat owned by Mounira al-Mahdia, a celebrated 1920s, Johnson went for a more casual look compared to Lopez's, The world knew Reigndrop Lopes older sister as Left Eye, TLCs forward-thinking rap, 'Dunderhead' and Other Nicer Ways to Say Stupid, 'Pride': The Word That Went From Vice to Strength. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The term was used to designate the leading female singer in the opera company, the person to whom the prime roles would be given. All rights reserved. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Grammarist is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. How to run a crontab job only if a file exists? B. cooperative By the mid-20th century both terms prima donna and diva, although still used in operatic terms, had become more generalised and slightly derogatory remarks referring to any ambitious, demanding woman in show business. The term prima donna began in nineteenth-century Italy to describe the principal soprano of an opera company, these troupe members often had out-sized personalities on and off stage. Sign up to make the most of YourDictionary. 2022. Usually a woman who could never go camping or backpacking, outdoors, or ride in coach. Prima facie, the verdict here is less favorable than in the previous case. The prima donna was normally, but not necessarily, a soprano. The word diva is a synonym for the literal sense of prima donna, and it can also be used in a similar figurative way as well, but it may not always carry the same negative sense that prima donna always does. Whether it's a night on the town or a romantic dinner for two, wearing this underwire bra from Diva Bras will make you feel sensuous and sexy. A daily challenge for crossword fanatics. Someone who is used to being spoilt, who does not like getting their proverbial hands dirty but instead just wants to be pampered and treated to fine wines, and first class jetsetting, shopping and 5 star hotels. Would it be possible to use Animate Objects as an energy source? English Language & Usage Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts. How to achieve full scale deflection on a 30A ammeter with 5V voltage? Hughes, when she was known as Donna Rice, was involved in a steamy scandal involving presidential politics. Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced searchad free! Bikini, bourbon, and badminton were places first. A leading woman singer, esp. It is no surprise that words that originally highlighted women of talent and success mutated into an unflattering and disparaging description with its roots in sexism. So, lets reclaim diva and prima donna for their true and operatic meanings: in praise of women of sheer talent, star presence, ability and success in their chosen field. Like someone who was as famous as Madonna but before her, Baluga Maloo (@BigMmamaaaaaaaa) April 3, 2020. Diva. Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diva. (informal) A woman, often a celebrity, with a reputation for being haughty, temperamental, hard to please, etc. In a period of huge inequality between men and women in society, at least on the stage of opera houses, the female voice and talent was revered and celebrated quite as much as the top tenors of the day.The Italian term prima donna, or first lady describes the principal female singer in an opera or opera company, usually a soprano. Even today, the media reflects everyday sexism in its descriptions of women in the public eye. (The Daily Telegraph), Ive interviewed enough athletes to know the routine ask about goals, and even the most primped prima donna knows to say: Win a championship. (The Denver Post), The notoriously demanding prima donna, who has a history of red carpet hissy fits and meet-and-greet meltdowns, hilariously tried to turn her pastry petulance into a public service announcement. Why is Hulu video streaming quality poor on Ubuntu 22.04? (https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/lady_muck), (https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/princess). 2022 LoveToKnow Media. Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Random House, Inc. 2022, Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition Which of the following colors is used to symbolize AIR? Yes! Send us feedback. You have provided lots of ways to describe them already! What are some words that share a root or word element with prima donna? These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'diva.' Your example illustrates the polysemy of this word. "Imran is such a nice boy, but can't act. (The Southland Times), He is a humble person who doesnt act like a prima donna, and his nature is already proving to be a gelling force in the team (The Guardian), I want to show this great internet job opportunity 3 to 5 hrs of work /a day Once a week payment Bonus# opportunitiesPayscale of 6-9 thousand dollars /a month Merely several h of your free time, desktop or laptop, elementary knowledge of www and reliable internet-connection is what is neededHave a visit to my disqus_profile for more info. Why is the comparative of "sacer" not attested? The expression first came in to use in the late 17th century with the opening of the early public opera houses in Venice. This shows grade level based on the word's complexity. I am looking for phrases or words to describe a diva, prima donna. Copyright 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. It only takes a minute to sign up. Just effective way to articulate it. Though the literal sense of prima donna refers only to women, its figurative sense can be applied to anyone. I'm watching the final season 10 but I'm a bit confused and I can't get my hands on the other seasons? Accessed 30 Jul. The young girl became, thanks to him, the celebrated prima donna of the Fenice theatre, at Venice in 1820. Today, in red-top tabloid terms, if a woman is referred to as a diva it usually means shes difficult, temperamental and demanding. Even though a strict translation of prima donna refers to a lady, both males as well as females may be called prima donnas. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prima_donna. Phrase or words to describe a diva/prima donna, https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/lady_muck, https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/princess. 176070;
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