EXAMPLES FROM THE WEB FOR DUENNA
She felt that she had been rather remiss in her duties as duenna, and was angry with herself.
It is to be observed the duenna was of a most obliging disposition.
Then the duenna resumed, and now came the worst of her story.
He told me that O'Brien had the duenna called to his room that morning.
They must be torn away at once, or my character as duenna is lost for ever.'
The duenna entered, and remained standing before her master.
She kept me in sight like a duenna, and strangely ill-treated me.
Mary's duenna;—the artist who is supposed to be moulding the wife.
That's her instituted governess, duenna, dragon, what you will.
The Sisters are the only duenna for you; and back to the convent you shall go to-morrow.
WORD ORIGIN
1660s, "chief lady in waiting upon the queen of Spain," also "an elderly woman in charge of girls from a Spanish family," from Spanish dueña "married lady, mistress" (fem. of dueño "master"), from Latin domina (see dame). Sense extended in English to "any elderly woman chaperon of a younger woman" (1708).