don

Don is a term with several distinct meanings that arise from different languages and cultural contexts. In Spanish and Italian, Don is an honorific placed before a man’s given name to show respect, roughly equivalent to Sir in English. In English, Don is also a masculine given name, often a short form of Donald, and it can be a surname in various cultures.

Geography: The Don River in Russia is a major waterway of the European part of the country. It rises in the Central Russian Upland and flows southeast to the Sea of Azov, passing Rostov-on-Don; its length is about 1,900 to 2,000 kilometers, making it one of the longest rivers in Europe. Separately, the Don River in southern Ontario, Canada, flows through the Don Valley in Toronto and empties into Lake Ontario; it covers about 38 kilometers and supports a network of parks, trails, and urban infrastructure.

Other uses: Don is also a title used for the boss of a criminal organization, particularly in Italian-American contexts. The verb to don means to put on clothing or to assume an item of attire. In popular culture, the name appears in film titles, fictional characters, and as a common given name.