noun
Usage
What does godchild mean? A godchild is a person who has one or more godparents—people who have pledged to help with their upbringing, especially in a religious way.In some denominations of Christianity, when a child is baptized, they are sponsored by (usually two) adults who pledge to help in this way. Those adults are the child’s godparents, and the child is their godchild.Godchildren are often related to their godparents (a boy might be his aunt’s godson, for example), but they don’t need to be.Godparents also often pledge to become the godchild’s guardian if needed (in the event that the child’s parents die).These terms are all sometimes applied outside of a religious context—parents may choose close relatives or friends to act as godparents for their children without any religious aspect to the relationship.A godparent can still refer to their godchild with that term even after the child becomes an adult.Example: Some people are godparents in name only, but Kelly and Chris spend as much time as they can with their godchild.
Etymology
Origin of godchild
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He and his son were currently living with his godchild across the street, but storm damage might force her to move out as well.
From Seattle Times • Sep. 5, 2021
"As a child I'd heard of Queen Victoria having a black godchild," says Janice Okoh, whose new play The Gift includes Bonetta's story, alongside a fictional modern-day black woman, also called Sarah.
From BBC • Jan. 21, 2020
A fundraiser was to be held in a few days to benefit the nonprofit Perry’s Posse, which was started by Tanya Roccaforte in memory of her godchild who died of leukemia.
From Washington Times • Nov. 3, 2018
Q. Don’t like my godchild: I’m the godparent to a kid named “Elizanthonius.”
From Slate • Jun. 13, 2017
Once she saw my father use the obi, the divining coconut, to answer the questions of a godchild who had come to consult him.
From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
