• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
People in stitches realising Brits have same wrong definition for what 'prima donna' means

Home> Community> Weird

Published 17:26 7 Mar 2024 GMT

People in stitches realising Brits have same wrong definition for what 'prima donna' means

It's got nothing to do with Madonna...

Joe Harker

Joe Harker

Some people are pencilling in today on their calendars as the day they finally learned what the phrase 'prima donna' actually means.

By now you must surely have heard the phrase thrown around at certain individuals and know it's not a great thing to be called.

However, it turns out some people don't know what it means and a worrying amount think it's got something to do with the singer Madonna.

Advert

No, not that Madonna.
Marco Piraccini/Archivio Marco Piraccini/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images

First things first the phrase is absolutely not 'pre-Madonna' and didn't originate from her, but if you've only heard it said it's actually pretty understandable why you'd make the mistake.

Secondly, this is a gaffe that some of us over here at LADbible Towers had been making and it was quite the discussion over office desks as some of us had to learn the crushing truth that it had nothing to do with Madonna.

As for why some people have made this mistake, one of the better explanations we've heard was from someone who said: "I thought it meant you were acting like you were about to be rich and famous like Madonna."

Someone else thought that Madonna was such a celebrity that her name had been lent to an entire insult for someone who thought they were 'Madonna level big when they are not that important'.

Advert

It maybe doesn't help that Madonna herself released an album called Pre-Madonna which has probably only added to the confusion, but when you're Madonna it's really a missed opportunity if you don't.

This kind of prima donna.
Getty Stock Photo

Judging by the reactions from people who are only just realising this it seems like it's a phrase they heard when they were younger, never saw it written down and let their brain fill in the gaps.

One person said the brain 'figuring out an explanation for something' was doing a lot of the heavy lifting here.

It's like people only just figuring out what 'WC' means, even if your brain doesn't know the answer it'll cook up a reasonably plausible explanation.

Advert

As for what 'prima donna' actually means, it refers to someone who is difficult to please and needs special treatment.


The actual words refer to the most important female singer in an opera, so if you're being called a prima donna and you're an opera singer then it might not be an insult.

Now, it's come to essentially mean someone who is pretty demanding and difficult to please.

Advert

Then again if opera singers were such prima donnas that they ended up with their job title becoming a very recognisable insult perhaps it's best if you just never hear those words being uttered in your general direction.

But if you do make sure not to act like a prima donna.

Featured Image Credit: TikTok/@itskpayne/Marco Piraccini/Archivio Marco Piraccini/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images

Topics: Weird, Viral, Madonna

Joe Harker
Joe Harker

Joe graduated from the University of Salford with a degree in Journalism and worked for Reach before joining the LADbible Group. When not writing he enjoys the nerdier things in life like painting wargaming miniatures and chatting with other nerds on the internet. He's also spent a few years coaching fencing. Contact him via [email protected]

X

@MrJoeHarker

Advert

Advert

Advert

  • Brits convinced '99% of drivers' have no idea what this road sign really means
  • People have only just found out what the H on lampposts means
  • Recording of what mummy's voice would have sounded like leaves presenters in stitches
  • People are reselling Sydney Sweeney's used bathwater for insane amount after it sells out immediately

Choose your content:

a day ago
  • a day ago

    Every time Melania Trump has sparked 'body double' conspiracy as recent clip reignites theory

    Some people are convinced she's not the real Melania

    Community
  • a day ago

    Melania and Donald Trump both responded to 'body double' conspiracy as recent clip reignites theory

    Will the real First Lady please stand up

    Community
  • a day ago

    Melania Trump ‘body double’ conspiracy theory sparked after people spot what she did at parade

    The great Melania Trump conspiracy theory lives on

    Community
  • a day ago

    Son of man who shot his brother’s karate instructor live on TV shares important detail 40 years later

    Gary Plauché waited in disguise before shooting Jeffrey Doucet

    Community