When Was the Word "Domina" First Used to Denote Dominant (Full Version)

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QueenRah -> When Was the Word "Domina" First Used to Denote Dominant (11/12/2012 12:09:45 PM)

..."Dominant Woman," the title should read.

Fat-fingered the enter button!

Since I started moving about the online BDSM world, I have used the term "Domina," almost exclusively, to describe myself and other dominant ladies. While I am familiar with the etymology of the word, itself, I haven't been able to find any real indication of when it was first used in that manner, to that purpose.

It's no matter of great significance. But, I would be grateful for some proven citation of the history of the word's use. (For some reason, wikipedia, the be-all and end-all of things factual, hasn't been much help.)

Thanks!

QR



Ninebelowzero -> RE: When Was the Word "Domina" First Used to Denote Dominant (11/12/2012 12:18:30 PM)

It was in 1995. Decvember to be exact. My keyboard suddenly developed faults on the N &T hence domina.



ARIES83 -> RE: When Was the Word "Domina" First Used to Denote Dominant (11/12/2012 12:19:22 PM)

Domina & Dominus, were used in ancient Rome as
far as I know they are Latin.

Couldn't help you with the date but I'm guessing
atleast as far back as 400ad.

*I thought I'd add, I believe the use of them was by
someone of slave or lesser station in a similar way
as "Sir" "Mam", (As far as I know, I may be pulling
this stuff out of my ass)
I think modern day bdsm use may be traced back to
to begining of the use of "Dominatrix" perhaps
causing a researgence in the old term Domina.
So what... 1960-1980?
I'm pretty far out on a limb with that info, but I have
a good record of getting it close.
-Aries



Moonhead -> RE: When Was the Word "Domina" First Used to Denote Dominant (11/12/2012 12:21:54 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: ARIES83

Domina & Dominus, were used in ancient Rome as
far as I know they are Latin.

Couldn't help you with the date but I'm guessing
atleast as far back as 400ad.

-Aries

So who in Ancient Rome was advertising (in Latin) because they wanted their thighboots licking, then?
(PVC is a more recent innovation...)



LookieNoNookie -> RE: When Was the Word "Domina" First Used to Denote Dominant (11/12/2012 6:53:05 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: QueenRah

..."Dominant Woman," the title should read.

Fat-fingered the enter button!

Since I started moving about the online BDSM world, I have used the term "Domina," almost exclusively, to describe myself and other dominant ladies. While I am familiar with the etymology of the word, itself, I haven't been able to find any real indication of when it was first used in that manner, to that purpose.

It's no matter of great significance. But, I would be grateful for some proven citation of the history of the word's use. (For some reason, wikipedia, the be-all and end-all of things factual, hasn't been much help.)

Thanks!

QR


The word "Domina" was first used in 1913, just months after the Federal Reserve was created.

It was in July.



MercTech -> RE: When Was the Word "Domina" First Used to Denote Dominant (11/12/2012 7:45:36 PM)

And here I thought "domina" was the feminine form of "Dominus" which is latin for "Master" or "Owner"



TheBoyDownBelow -> RE: When Was the Word "Domina" First Used to Denote Dominant (11/12/2012 7:54:16 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: ARIES83

I think modern day bdsm use may be traced back to
to begining of the use of "Dominatrix" perhaps
causing a researgence in the old term Domina.
So what... 1960-1980?
I'm pretty far out on a limb with that info, but I have
a good record of getting it close.
-Aries


I never heard the term/title "Dominatrix" until I moved to the US. Where I grew up in Europe, the title "Domina" was exclusively used . But that may have been different from country to country. I assume that you are quite correct with your estimate. Although closer to the 1960's. "Domina" was used in the BDSM world of the 1970's.



pyschosubmission -> RE: When Was the Word "Domina" First Used to Denote Dominant (11/12/2012 7:57:57 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: MercTech

And here I thought "domina" was the feminine form of "Dominus" which is latin for "Master" or "Owner"



I've always believed that facts get in the way of a good story (I believe Fox News has a similar mission statement) so I'm going to go with this being the origin. [:D]



littlewonder -> RE: When Was the Word "Domina" First Used to Denote Dominant (11/12/2012 8:08:19 PM)

wiki:

Female form of Dominus (title)

A Domina—in old English Law—was a title formerly given to noble ladies who held a barony in their own right. At the University of Cambridge, the honorific 'Domina' (abbreviated as Dna) is given to women who hold a Bachelor of Arts degree, but not a Master's degree.

wiktionary:

The head of a nunnery.  [quotations ▲]

1796, Matthew Lewis, The Monk, Folio Society 1985, p. 29:

Each of the nuns was heard in her turn, while the others waited with the domina in the adjoining vestry.

From Latin domina (“mistress”).







ARIES83 -> RE: When Was the Word "Domina" First Used to Denote Dominant (11/12/2012 8:22:46 PM)

I found this...

quote:

The term "domme" is a coined pseudo-French female variation of the slang dom (short for dominant). It stems from the Latin words "dominus" = master, "domina" = mistress.


So in a sense, most of our D/s terms stem from
Ancient Rome and are still pretty similar in useage.

-Aries



Ninebelowzero -> RE: When Was the Word "Domina" First Used to Denote Dominant (11/12/2012 11:20:38 PM)

Bloody Romans!



QueenRah -> RE: When Was the Word "Domina" First Used to Denote Dominant (11/15/2012 4:54:03 AM)

Thanks, everybody, for your guesses. Yes, I knew about the Latinate roots; yes, I was aware of the term "Domina" to mean "Lady who owns her own barony, etc" (gotten from the world of wiki); but, I did not know about the European usage. So, thanks, TBDB, for getting me closer to 42.

So, for me, the world-stopping question becomes a little better answered. Thanks for the help and the "help." The entertainment factor was worth taking a stab at posting.

QueenRah, Domina to the D-list.



shallowdeep -> RE: When Was the Word "Domina" First Used to Denote Dominant (11/16/2012 3:36:47 AM)

It's far from a final word, but playing with Google's Ngram Viewer can be an entertaining way to investigate this sort of thing. I didn't dig much, but documented printed use with the BDSM context from at least 1976 came up quickly.



trelaford -> RE: When Was the Word "Domina" First Used to Denote Dominant (11/16/2012 11:59:03 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: MercTech

And here I thought "domina" was the feminine form of "Dominus" which is latin for "Master" or "Owner"




It's much better than the term 'mistress,' which of course also denotes the sex object of a cheating husband.


A male pianist or painter of extraordinary skill and sensitivity would no doubt be called a 'master' - what is the feminine form in this case?


As I see it, 'master' is the best word, and should be a gender neutral term, both in the arts and in the world of BDSM.



QueenRah -> RE: When Was the Word "Domina" First Used to Denote Dominant (11/20/2012 3:35:24 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: trelaford


It's much better than the term 'mistress,' which, of course, also denotes the sex object of a cheating husband.


Exactly why I detest the word.

quote:


As I see it, 'master' is the best word, and should be a gender neutral term, both in the arts and in the world of BDSM.


[sm=hearts.gif]



LookieNoNookie -> RE: When Was the Word "Domina" First Used to Denote Dominant (11/20/2012 3:46:09 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: QueenRah

..."Dominant Woman," the title should read.

Fat-fingered the enter button!

Since I started moving about the online BDSM world, I have used the term "Domina," almost exclusively, to describe myself and other dominant ladies. While I am familiar with the etymology of the word, itself, I haven't been able to find any real indication of when it was first used in that manner, to that purpose.

It's no matter of great significance. But, I would be grateful for some proven citation of the history of the word's use. (For some reason, wikipedia, the be-all and end-all of things factual, hasn't been much help.)

Thanks!

QR


It was August 17th, 1973.



Aswad -> RE: When Was the Word "Domina" First Used to Denote Dominant (11/20/2012 4:33:53 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: MercTech

And here I thought "domina" was the feminine form of "Dominus" which is latin for "Master" or "Owner"


Lord or lady of the house, essentially. Go from domus (house) to domī (at/in/of (the) house) to dominus and domina. Whence is derived dominātor (ruler, lord), whose feminine would have been dominātrix. Nothing about "owner" in there, it's just that a slave would've been expected to refer to its betters by the proper honorific. You can pretty much assume it was used by a significant number of people of inferior social station, as well, not just slaves.

Statistically speaking, I've got 44 slaves myself, about twice as many as a Roman landowner at the peak of slavery in Roma, and about six times as many as the normal periods. They don't live in my home, of course, but rather where my goods are produced around the world. Apart from that, it's mostly the same thing.

We've come a long way. [:D]

IWYW,
— Aswad.



thelonewolfrox -> RE: When Was the Word "Domina" First Used to Denote Dominant (11/20/2012 4:40:05 PM)

i believe it goes back as far as the ancient rome civilization master of the house wer called domina but thats not fact checked so dont hold me too it



thelonewolfrox -> RE: When Was the Word "Domina" First Used to Denote Dominant (11/20/2012 4:43:19 PM)

and what I mean by fact checked is that I know it was used in ancient rome but do not know if that is the oldest example of its use in the context you are asking



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