Dons

Dons is a term with several distinct meanings in English, and it can refer to different concepts depending on context. The forms derive from different roots, and some senses share only the spelling.

One major sense is as an honorific used in Spain, Portugal, and regions influenced by Iberian culture. Don precedes a man’s given name to convey respect or social standing; the feminine form is doña. This title has historical roots in the Latin dominus and remains common in literature, formal address, and historical references.

In Italian usage, Don is a similar honorific applied to a respected man or, in Catholic contexts, to a priest or elder. It appears before the name (for example, Don Luigi) and likewise reflects Latin origins, though its use has developed within Italian linguistic practice.

In English-language media one well-known sense of the term is the leader of a Mafia or organized crime family, commonly referred to as the Don. In this context, dons denotes multiple leaders across families or organizations and is popular in fiction and journalism.

In British English, don is also a noun for a university teacher or fellow, especially at Oxford and Cambridge. The plural phrase “the dons” can refer to the faculty as a group within those institutions.

Additionally, don is a verb in modern English meaning to put on clothing, as in “to don a hat.” This usage is unrelated to the honorific or leadership senses but shares the same spelling.

Etymology: the honorific senses trace to Latin dominus through Romance languages; the Mafia and academic senses derive from those same or related title usages, while the verb sense is a separate development in English.