don
1 of 3verb
ˈdän 
donned; donning
transitive verb
1
: to put on (an article of clothing)
donned his hat and gloves
2
: to wrap oneself in : take on sense 3a
the donning of new and more tyrannous moralities—
Edward Sapir
Edward Sapirdon
2 of 3noun
1
: a head (see head entry 1 sense 6a), tutor, or fellow (see fellow sense 5) in a college of Oxford or Cambridge University
she didn't want to be a don's wife and live in Oxford forever—Virginia Woolf
Virginia Woolf broadly : a college or university professor
2
[Italian, title of respect, from donno, literally, lord, from Latin dominus] : a powerful Mafia leader
3
: a Spanish nobleman or gentleman —used as a title prefixed to the Christian name
4
archaic : a person of consequence : grandee
the great dons of wit—John Dryden
John DrydenDON
3 of 3abbreviation
director of nursing
Synonyms
Verb
- put on
- slip (on or into)
- throw (on)
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb He donned his gloves and hat. she donned her best gown for the ball
Recent Examples on the WebLauren Hubbard, Town & Country, 6 Jan. 2023 Elegantly black with a dash of sexiness in the light gold chain, a few guests were lucky enough to don it for the evening. —Isiah Magsino, Vogue, 28 Sep. 2022 Solar panels don the buildings’ rooftops and feed the campus’ electricity. —San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Nov. 2022 Even if Meta manages to continue elbowing out its headset competitors, there is no guarantee that most people will want to don the headsets and spend their lives in a virtual world. —Naomi Nix, Washington Post, 11 Oct. 2022 If incorporated into the CDC's COVID-19 recommendations, that could mean flu and RSV cases would also factor into when the agency urges Americans to don masks and take other precautions to help curb a surge that could overwhelm hospitals. —Alexander Tin, CBS News, 9 Dec. 2022 But for some, the trepidation fueled by the pandemic remains; some at the market continue to don masks. —Anjali Huynh, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Oct. 2022 In a countersuit, the actor won the right to don the mask. —Elvia Limón, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2022 Players from district rival Victor Valley High School also will don the helmet stickers for their playoff game Friday. —Gregory Yeestaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2022 Michael Dirda, Washington Post, 27 Jan. 2023 DSP Forced into exile after an encounter with a ruthless don, a young man returns as a policy officer to exact revenge on his nemesis. —Travis Bean, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2022 In Tracksmith’s tale of art and intellect intersecting with commerce, arguably the biggest coup to date has been getting Malcolm Gladwell, the British-Canadian don of populist intellectualism, on board. —Katie Baron, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2022 Relying on zero actual proof, the movie also portrays the elder Biden as a criminal don who receives kickbacks from the shady international deals his son orchestrates. —Naomi Fry, The New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2022 Charlotte Brewer, an Oxford don, published her book Treasure-House of the Language: The Living OED. —Bryan A. Garner, National Review, 17 Feb. 2022 The group conspired to organize into teams, undergo paramilitary training, coordinate travel, assemble and stage weapons and don combat and tactical gear before most joined the Capitol breach, prosecutors alleged. —Washington Post, 25 Jan. 2022 Robin Kirkpatrick, a Cambridge don, did a masterly translation for Penguin Classics. —Judith Thurman, The New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2021 The pair don modest but fashionable clothing and are surrounded by elegant scientific equipment. —Nora Mcgreevy, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Sep. 2021 See More
Verb
While straw hats are often reserved for the gents on Derby day, who says the ladies can't don one either? —Lauren Hubbard, Town & Country, 6 Jan. 2023 Elegantly black with a dash of sexiness in the light gold chain, a few guests were lucky enough to don it for the evening. —Isiah Magsino, Vogue, 28 Sep. 2022 Solar panels don the buildings’ rooftops and feed the campus’ electricity. —San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Nov. 2022 Even if Meta manages to continue elbowing out its headset competitors, there is no guarantee that most people will want to don the headsets and spend their lives in a virtual world. —Naomi Nix, Washington Post, 11 Oct. 2022 If incorporated into the CDC's COVID-19 recommendations, that could mean flu and RSV cases would also factor into when the agency urges Americans to don masks and take other precautions to help curb a surge that could overwhelm hospitals. —Alexander Tin, CBS News, 9 Dec. 2022 But for some, the trepidation fueled by the pandemic remains; some at the market continue to don masks. —Anjali Huynh, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Oct. 2022 In a countersuit, the actor won the right to don the mask. —Elvia Limón, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2022 Players from district rival Victor Valley High School also will don the helmet stickers for their playoff game Friday. —Gregory Yeestaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2022 Noun
Though showing considerable variety in their plots and themes, James’s ghost stories typically feature a male scholar, often an unmarried university don, who notices something anomalous in a decaying church, an old manuscript or a bit of folklore. —Michael Dirda, Washington Post, 27 Jan. 2023 DSP Forced into exile after an encounter with a ruthless don, a young man returns as a policy officer to exact revenge on his nemesis. —Travis Bean, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2022 In Tracksmith’s tale of art and intellect intersecting with commerce, arguably the biggest coup to date has been getting Malcolm Gladwell, the British-Canadian don of populist intellectualism, on board. —Katie Baron, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2022 Relying on zero actual proof, the movie also portrays the elder Biden as a criminal don who receives kickbacks from the shady international deals his son orchestrates. —Naomi Fry, The New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2022 Charlotte Brewer, an Oxford don, published her book Treasure-House of the Language: The Living OED. —Bryan A. Garner, National Review, 17 Feb. 2022 The group conspired to organize into teams, undergo paramilitary training, coordinate travel, assemble and stage weapons and don combat and tactical gear before most joined the Capitol breach, prosecutors alleged. —Washington Post, 25 Jan. 2022 Robin Kirkpatrick, a Cambridge don, did a masterly translation for Penguin Classics. —Judith Thurman, The New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2021 The pair don modest but fashionable clothing and are surrounded by elegant scientific equipment. —Nora Mcgreevy, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Sep. 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English, contraction of do on
Noun
Spanish, from Latin dominus master — more at dame
First Known Use
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun
1523, in the meaning defined at sense 3
Phrases Containing don
Kids Definition
don
1 of 2 verb ˈdän
donned; donning
: to dress oneself in : put on
don
2 of 2 noun1
: a Spanish nobleman or gentleman —used as a title
2
: a teacher in a college or university
Geographical Definition
Don
geographical name
ˈdän
river 1224 miles (1969 kilometers) long in Russia in Europe flowing southeast and then southwest into the Sea of Azov
don 1 of 2
verb
as in to rig
to place on one's person she donned her best gown for the ball Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- rig
- put on
- trick
- dress
- suit
- throw (on)
- uniform
- slip (on or into)
- garb
- clothe
- apparel
- attire
- overdress
- robe
- doll up
- bedeck
- caparison
- bundle up
- array
- bedizen
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- remove
- take off
- doff
- undress
- strip
- disrobe
don
2 of 2noun
as in prof
Synonyms & Similar Words
- prof
- doctor
- professor
- regius professor
- guide
- instructor
- educator
- dean
- schoolteacher
- docent
- schoolma'am
- master
- educationist
- coach
- headmaster
- schoolmarm
- tutoress
- pedagog
- schoolmaster
- pedagogue
- mistress
- preparer
- preceptor
- guru
- trainer
- rector
- schoolmistress
- tutor
- didact
- instructress
- mentor
- inculcator
- academe
- headmistress
- pedant
- academic
- academician
- drillmaster
- governess
- homeschooler
