patron

¹

[ pey-truhn ]

noun

1. a person who is a customer, client, or paying guest, especially a regular one, of a store, hotel, or the like.
2. a person who supports with money, gifts, efforts, or endorsement an artist, writer, museum, cause, charity, institution, special event, or the like:

   a patron of the arts; patrons of the annual Democratic dance.

3. a person whose support or protection is solicited or acknowledged by the dedication of a book or other work.
4. patron saint.
5. Roman History. the protector of a dependent or client, often the former master of a freedman still retaining certain rights over him.
6. Ecclesiastical. a person who has the right of presenting a member of the clergy to a benefice.

patrón

²

[ pah-trawn ]

noun

, Spanish.

, plural pa·tron·es [pah-, traw, -nes].

1. (in Mexico and the southwestern U.S.) a boss; employer.

patron

¹

/ pəˈtrəʊnəl; ˈpeɪtrən /

noun

1. a person, esp a man, who sponsors or aids artists, charities, etc; protector or benefactor
2. a customer of a shop, hotel, etc, esp a regular one
3. See patron saint
   See patron saint
4. (in ancient Rome) the protector of a dependant or client, often the former master of a freedman still retaining certain rights over him
5. Christianity a person or body having the right to present a clergyman to a benefice

patron

²

/ patrɔ̃ /

noun

1. a man, who owns or manages a hotel, restaurant, or bar

patron

³

/ ˈpætərn /

noun

1. See pattern
   a variant spelling of pattern 2

Derived Forms

• ˈpatronly, adjective
• patronal, adjective

Other Words From

• patron·al patron·ly adjective
• patron·dom patron·ship noun
• patron·less adjective
• sub·patron·al adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of patron¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Medieval Latin, Latin patrōnus “legal protector, advocate” ( Medieval Latin: “lord, master”), derivative of pater “father”; pattern

Origin of patron²

First recorded in 1860–65; from Spanish; patron ( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of patron¹

C14: via Old French from Latin patrōnus protector, from pater father

Example Sentences

In that regard, Miami will be able to take advantage of its warm weather and direct patrons with food or beverages to outdoor areas.

From Washington Post

“So, we first and foremost wanted to keep our staff, our neighbors, and our patrons safe,” he said.

From Washington Blade

Much depends on the local restrictions in place, but the center could have 50 donors indoors and up to a few hundred outside, with testing and other protocols in place to assure artist and patron safety.

From Washington Post

Earlier this fall, many of the nation’s restaurants opened their doors to patrons to eat inside, especially as the weather turned cold in places.

From Popular-Science

The real test, at that point, will be convincing patrons it’s safe to come back to the gym.

From Fortune

I hardly spoke to every patron, but there may have been some validity to his assessment.

From The Daily Beast

The artist came down and stood beside his patron to assess things.

From The Daily Beast

Michelangelo tricked his patron about the David, but sometimes he was forcibly reminded who paid the bills.

From The Daily Beast

He was a scion of immense wealth, a civil rights activist, and an art collector and patron.

From The Daily Beast

At the time, last March, the then-46-year-old Omidyar was being heralded as a patron saint of the financially beleaguered newsbiz.

From The Daily Beast

It was evident to the German doctor that his patron looked forward to his great-niece's visit with pleasure.

From Project Gutenberg

Owing to the death of Popham, their chief patron, and other misfortunes, the colonists returned to England in 1608.

From Project Gutenberg

Conjecture, lost in the mazy distance, gladly lays hold of something substantial in the shape of snuff's first royal patron.

From Project Gutenberg

He was a politic monarch, the patron of men of letters, and an excellent author himself.

From Project Gutenberg

Nor can a telephone company legally charge a higher rental for a telephone to a telegraph company than to any other patron.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• advocate
• backer
• benefactor
• fan
• friend
• leader
• philanthropist
• sponsor
• supporter
• well-wisher