Don

Don, or DOM (Lat. dominus, 'lord'), a title originally assumed by the popes, from whom it descended to bishops and other dignitaries, and finally to monks. In France, the title dom was conferred on the Carolingian kings; in Portugal and Brazil it is now the universal title of the higher classes. The Spanish don was originally confined to the nobility, but is now bestowed by courtesy as indiscriminately as the English Mr or Esq. The feminine is doña (Ital. donna). The Dan in 'Dan Chaucer' is a form of the same word, and we still speak of 'college duns.'