Old Portuguese

Alternative forms

• donçela
• donsela

Noun

donzela f

1. maiden, damsel, young unmarried woman
   • 13th century, Cancioneiro da Biblioteca Nacional, Alfonso X of Castile, B 476: Non quer'eu donzela fea (facsimile)

     Non quereu donzela fea

     I do not want an ugly maiden

Descendants

• Galician: doncela
• Portuguese: donzela

Portuguese

Etymology

From Old Portuguese donzela, from Vulgar Latin *dominicella, from Latin domina. Cf. Old Provençal donçela, Spanish doncella, French demoiselle.

Pronunciation

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /dõ.ˈzɛ.lɐ/
• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /dõ.ˈzɛ.la/, /dõ.ˈzɛ.lɐ/
• Hyphenation: don‧ze‧la

Noun

donzela f (plural donzelas)

1. maiden, damsel

   Donzela em apuros‎

   Damsel in distress

2. maid, handmaid