Devota

Devota is the feminine form of the Latin-rooted adjective devotus, and in several Romance languages—Italian, Spanish, Portuguese—devota means devout or pious. As an adjective it describes someone who expresses religious devotion. In ecclesiastical Latin, the noun devota can refer to a devout woman, though in modern usage it remains primarily adjectival.

As a given name, Devota is used in Iberian and Lusophone countries and among communities influenced by Romance languages. It is relatively uncommon today but appears in historical records and onomastic references as a female name.

Saint Devota refers to a Christian saint venerated especially in Corsica and Monaco. According to tradition, she was a young Corsican Christian martyred during the persecutions of Diocletian in the late Roman era. Her cult spread to Monaco, where she is regarded as the patron saint. The Sainte-Dévote Chapel in Monaco is dedicated to her, and her feast day is celebrated on January 27. The devotion to Saint Devota has become an enduring symbol in Monaco’s religious and cultural history, reflecting historical ties with Corsican and French Catholicism.

In summary, devota functions as a language term for female piety and as a given name in Romance-language communities, while Saint Devota represents a historic religious figure associated with Monaco and Corsica.