prima donna

Where does the word "prima donna" come from? It comes from Italian prima donna, and was adopted directly into English (1780s).

Prima donna’s story begins in Italian: prima donna meant “the first lady, the leading female opera singer.” Literally first lady, the leading female singer in an opera company. It reached English by 1780s as prima donna. Broadened from the leading singer to anyone temperamentally demanding. Today, prima donna means a temperamental, self-important person, originally an opera's leading female singer.

1. Stage 1 · Italian · 1700s prima donna "the first lady, the leading female opera singer", literally first lady, the leading female singer in an opera company.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1780s prima donna "a temperamental, self-important person", broadened from the leading singer to anyone temperamentally demanding.