madonna
madonna — noun
1. in the Christian religion, the title for the woman named Mary who gave birth to
in the Christian religion, the title for the woman named Mary who gave birth to Jesus and is honoured as a holy figure
Tariq learned about the Madonna in his class on world religions.
the Madonna as a proper noun referring to the Virgin Mary
In Christian tradition, the Madonna is the mother of Jesus Christ.
Élise read stories about the Madonna and the birth of Jesus as a child.
The Madonna is honoured by millions of Christians around the world.
Zayd knelt in the chapel and said a prayer to the Madonna.
- the Virgin Mary
the more formal and common title in English; 'Madonna' is more frequent in artistic and Italian-influenced contexts
- Our Lady
a reverent title used especially in Catholic prayer and liturgy; less common in general writing
- the Mother of God
a formal theological title emphasizing Mary's role as the mother of Jesus
文法句型
the Madonna
用法筆記
Always capitalized with a capital letter. Typically used with the definite article 'the' when referring to the person.
常見錯誤
2. a painting, statue, or other work of art that shows the Virgin Mary
a painting, statue, or other work of art that shows the Virgin Mary
An art dealer sold a small wooden Madonna from the fifteenth century.
countable noun: a + material + Madonna + time period
The museum displayed a rare Renaissance Madonna carved from white marble.
Renata bought a postcard showing a famous Madonna by the artist Raphael.
Abigail saw a beautiful stone Madonna in the cathedral at Siena.
This small ivory Madonna was made by a French artist in the 1300s.
- image of the Virgin Mary
more explicit and formal but less concise than 'Madonna'
- icon
specifically a religious painting on wood, common in Eastern Christian traditions; 'Madonna' is broader and more Western European
- painting of Mary
a plain-language equivalent that avoids Italianate terminology; less specific about the artistic style
- statue of Mary
used specifically for three-dimensional representations rather than paintings
文法句型
a/an + adjective + Madonna
a/an + Madonna + prepositional phrase
用法筆記
May be written with or without a capital letter. Commonly modified by words that describe the material (wooden, marble, ivory), the historical period (Renaissance, medieval), or the artist who created it.