noun
señorita
sen-yə-REE-tə
Señorita (noun) means a Spanish title and form of address for a young or unmarried woman, equivalent to Miss. Example: “Buenas tardes, señorita.”
noun
1
A Spanish title and form of address for a young or unmarried woman, equivalent to Miss.
"Buenas tardes, señorita."
"She was introduced as Señorita Ramírez, the new teacher."
2
A young Spanish or Spanish-speaking woman.
"The song is addressed to a señorita on a summer night."
How to use señorita
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe Spanish word for Miss, used for a young woman.
When to use it
Capitalised when used as a title before a name; the accented ñ should be kept in careful writing.
Memory tip
The abbreviation is Srta., matching Sr. for señor and Sra. for señora.
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
Common pairings
Señorita Gómez
gracias, señorita
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Etymology
Spanish señorita, the diminutive of señora 'lady, madam', which goes back to Latin senior 'older person'.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for señorita
See all rhymes for señorita →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between señorita and señora?
Señorita is used for a young or unmarried woman, señora for a married or older one, roughly like Miss and Mrs. Because guessing wrong can offend, many Spanish speakers now default to señora for any adult woman, much as English has shifted towards Ms.
How do you pronounce and type señorita?
Say sen-yo-REE-ta: the ñ is a 'ny' sound as in canyon. On a Mac type Option-n then n; on Windows hold Alt and type 0241; on a phone, hold the n key and pick ñ.
Is it rude for an English speaker to call someone señorita?
In Spanish-speaking countries it is a normal courtesy when the woman is clearly young. Used by a stranger towards an adult woman in English, especially as a flirtation, it can come across as a cliché or as patronising.
What is the meaning of señorita?
"señorita" (noun) means a Spanish title and form of address for a young or unmarried woman, equivalent to Miss.
