donor

American  

[doh-ner] / ˈdoʊ nər /

noun

• donors
  plural

1. a person who gives or donates.

   Synonyms:

   patron, sponsor, contributor, supporter

2. Medicine/Medical. a person or animal providing blood, an organ, bone marrow cells, or other biological tissue for transfusion or transplantation.

3. Law. a person who gives property by gift, legacy, or devise, or who confers a power of appointment.

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adjective

1. of or relating to the biological tissue of a donor.

   donor organ.

donor British  

/ ˈdəʊnə /

noun

1. a person who makes a donation

2. med any person who voluntarily gives blood, skin, a kidney etc, for use in the treatment of another person

3. law

   1. a person who makes a gift of property

   2. a person who bestows upon another a power of appointment over property

4. the atom supplying both electrons in a coordinate bond

5. an impurity, such as antimony or arsenic, that is added to a semiconductor material in order to increase its n-type conductivity by contributing free electrons Compare acceptor

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donor Scientific  

/ dō′nər /

1. An atom or molecule that releases one or more electrons to another atom or molecule, resulting in a chemical bond or flow of electric current.

2. Compare acceptor See also electron carrier

3. An individual from whom blood, tissue, or an organ is taken for transfusion, implantation, or transplant.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• donorship
  noun
• predonor
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• donors
  plural

Etymology

Origin of donor

1400–50; late Middle English donour < Anglo-French ( Old French doneur ) < Latin dōnātor, equivalent to dōnā ( re ) ( see donation) + -tor -tor

Explanation

A donor is a person who donates something of value to a person or an organization, especially a charity. A wealthy donor might leave her book collection to the local library in her will. Buildings on college campuses are frequently named after generous donors — if you give millions of dollars to your school, they might name the new library after you, crediting you as a donor. Another kind of donor gives blood that can be used for transfusions, or agrees to donate organs after his or her death. Donor comes from the Latin root donare, "give as a gift."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

donor donors

Kushner Cos. built and acquired apartments in multiple states, while Charles became a philanthropist and major Democratic Party donor.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2026

Contrary to what you learned in civics class, the grease that keeps the wheels of American democracy turning isn’t voters, legislation, or donor cash; it’s staffers.

From Slate ● Aug. 27, 2026

According to the researchers, natural killer cells collected from a single donor could produce about 20 treatment doses in roughly two weeks.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 25, 2026

A court found Evergrande founder Hui Ka Yan, a Harvard donor, responsible for large-scale fraud to hide debts.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

“Now, that wouldn't make it very anonymous, would it, miss? The donor asked not to be identified. But please order whatever you choose.”

From "When Dimple Met Rishi" by Sandhya Menon

All foreign donors and contracting parties should be identified.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026

The doctor found that their donors were born in different years - and so could not be the same man.

From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026

The foundation funds the program, along with several other donors.

From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026

In television interviews, Paxton has noted this disparity and appealed to donors for help.

From Salon ● Aug. 22, 2026

Food aid from the United States, Japan, South Korea, and other donors mitigated the worst of the famine by the late 1990s.

From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden

Related Words

• backer
• benefactor
• contributor
• patron