In Italian, madonna literally means my lady or lady. The word comes from the combination of mia (my) and donna (lady), forming ma-donna, which is a respectful and formal way of addressing a woman, particularly in historical contexts.
However, Madonna is most commonly associated with the Virgin Mary, or Maria, the mother of Jesus Christ in Christian tradition. When capitalized as Madonna, it specifically refers to the Virgin Mary, who is a central figure in Italian Catholicism. Paintings, sculptures, and other depictions of the Virgin Mary are often called Madonne (plural form), and you’ll find this term frequently used in art history.
Here are a couple of examples of how madonna is used:
La Madonna è venerata in tutta Italia. – The Madonna is venerated throughout Italy.
Quella statua rappresenta la Madonna. – That statue represents the Virgin Mary.
Historically, the word madonna was also used more generally to refer to a noble or respectable woman, similar to the English term milady. In modern Italian, though, this usage is quite rare, and madonna is almost exclusively associated with religious contexts.
It’s also worth mentioning that in certain dialects or colloquial speech, madonna can be used as an exclamation, similar to oh my God in English. For example, Madonna mia! might be used to express surprise, frustration, or admiration, but this usage is very informal and varies by region.
To summarize, madonna in Italian primarily means my lady, but when capitalized, it refers specifically to the Virgin Mary, an important religious figure in Catholicism.