a Spanish gentleman or nobleman
"The don arrived at the gala dressed in his traditional embroidered suit, commanding immediate respect from all guests."
Celtic goddess; mother of Gwydion and Arianrhod; corresponds to Irish Danu
"In Welsh mythology, Don is revered as a powerful Celtic goddess who stands as the mother of both Gwydion and Arianrhod."
a Spanish courtesy title or form of address for men that is prefixed to the forename
"Don Roberto"
A university professor, particularly one at Oxford or Cambridge.
"The researchers measured the levels of dissolved organic nitrogen in the lake to assess how much nutrient pollution was affecting the algae growth."
dissolved organic nitrogen
In plain English: A don is a senior professor who leads an academic department at a university.
"He took off his don hat when he entered the church."
Usage: The term "don" as a noun referring to dissolved organic nitrogen is highly technical and rarely used in everyday conversation. In common speech, people usually refer to this concept simply as dissolved organic matter or nitrogen rather than using the specific abbreviation "DON.
To put on clothing; to dress (oneself) in an article of personal attire.
"She donned her raincoat before stepping out into the storm."
In plain English: To don something means to put it on your body, like putting on a coat or shoes.
"She quickly doned her raincoat before stepping outside."
Usage: Use "don" specifically when describing the act of putting on a single item of clothing or accessories like a hat or gloves. Avoid using it for general dressing or wearing multiple pieces at once, which is better expressed with phrases like "get dressed."
A diminutive of the male given names Donald or Gordon.
"After hiking through the Highlands, we finally reached the Don at its mouth before it empties into the North Sea."
A river, the fifth-longest in Europe, in Tula Oblast, Lipetsk Oblast, Voronezh Oblast, Volgograd Oblast and Rostov Oblast, Russia. It flows 1870 kilometers (1160 miles) to the Sea of Azov.
A river in Scotland, flowing 62 miles to the North Sea.
The word "don" comes from the Latin dominus, meaning "lord," which itself is derived from domus, or "house." It entered English as a title of respect for a man of high rank, similar to how it is used in Spanish and Italian today.