Dulcinea is a fictional character who is referred to (but does not appear) in Cervantes' novel Don Quixote.

Also known as:

• Dulcinea del Toboso
• Aldonza Lorenzo
• Aldonza de Toboso.

Seeking after the traditions of the Knight Errants of old, Don Quixote finds a true love whome he claims to be the most beautiful. This Dulcinea (as he calls her) is created from a simple peasant in his home town, but Quixote imagines her to be the most beautiful of all women. In the Spanish of the time, Dulcinea means something akin to an overly elegant "sweetness." In this way, Dulcinea is an entirely fictional person for whom Quixote relentlessly fights. To this day,a reference to someone as your "dulcinea" implies one's own hopeless devotion and love for her.

She does appear in stage and film adaptations of the book. In cinema, she has been played by (among others) Sofia Loren and Vanessa Williams. In the musical, she is a self described whore.