domina

Domina is a feminine noun from Latin, derived from dominus, meaning master. In classical Latin, domina referred to the mistress or lady of a household, the female head of the household, or a female owner of property. The term conveys social authority within domestic or estate contexts. The masculine counterpart is dominus.

In ancient Rome, domina designated the wife of the dominus or the female head of a household, and could be used for noblewomen in certain contexts. In later Latin, the word retained its broad sense of lady or mistress and appears in inscriptions and religious or scholarly writings.

In modern usage, domina appears mainly in specific contexts. In BDSM subculture, a domina describes a woman who assumes the dominant role in a consensual power exchange; it can denote a person who operates as a professional dominatrix. The term is less common in everyday English but is widely understood within those communities.

Domina is also the title of a 2021 historical drama television series about Livia Drusilla, wife of Emperor Augustus, and her rise to power in ancient Rome. The show explores political and personal dynamics of early imperial Rome.