Phrase guide

prima donna

noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌpɹiːməˈdɒnə/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The principal female singer or the leading lady.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: opera

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A person who considers themselves much more important than others, has high expectations of others and becomes angry when their demands are not met.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: derogatory, informal

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: diva

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a distinguished female operatic singer; a female operatic star

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: diva

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: opera star, operatic star

4

noun

Meaning 4

a vain and temperamental person

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: unpleasant person, disagreeable person

History

Etymology

From Italian prima donna (“first lady”).

Across languages

Translations

31 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 布馬多娜 /布马多娜 (bùmǎduōnà) — opera singer
  • Czech: primadona — opera singer
  • French: prima donna — opera singer
  • Galician: prima donna — opera singer
  • German: Primadonna — opera singer
  • Icelandic: prímadonna — opera singer
  • Irish: príomhamhránaí mná — opera singer
  • Irish: primadonna — opera singer
  • Italian: prima donna — opera singer
  • Japanese: プリマドンナ (purimadonna) — opera singer
  • Polish: primadonna — opera singer
  • Portuguese: prima-dona — opera singer
  • Russian: примадо́нна (primadónna) — opera singer
  • Slovak: primadona — opera singer
  • Spanish: prima donna — opera singer
  • Swedish: primadonna — opera singer
  • Tagalog: primadona — opera singer
  • Turkish: primadonna — opera singer
  • Chinese Mandarin: 布馬多娜 /布马多娜 (bùmǎduōnà) — person who considers themselves important
  • Czech: primadona — person who considers themselves important
  • French: prima donna — person who considers themselves important
  • German: Primadonna — person who considers themselves important
  • Icelandic: prímadonna — person who considers themselves important
  • Italian: primadonna — person who considers themselves important
  • Japanese: プリマドンナ (purimadonna) — person who considers themselves important
  • Portuguese: diva — person who considers themselves important
  • Russian: примадо́нна (primadónna) — person who considers themselves important
  • Slovak: primadona — person who considers themselves important
  • Spanish: divo — person who considers themselves important
  • Swedish: primadonna — person who considers themselves important
  • Swedish: diva — person who considers themselves important