godfather

[ god-fah-ther ]

/ ˈgɒdˌfɑ ðər /

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noun

a man who serves as sponsor for a child at baptism.

any male sponsor or guardian.

(often initial capital letter) a powerful leader, especially of the Mafia.

a person who is regarded as the originator or principal shaper of a movement, school of thought, art form, industry, or the like: the godfather of abstract expressionism.

verb (used with object)

to act as godfather to; be sponsor or protector for.

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Origin of godfather

before 1000; Middle English godfader,Old English godfæder;see origin at god, father

OTHER WORDS FROM godfather

god·fa·ther·ly, adjective

Words nearby godfather

Godesberg, godet, godetia, go-devil, Godey, godfather, godfather offer, God-fearing, God forbid, godforsaken, Godfrey

How to use godfather in a sentence

Harry only shares his darkest fears about something evil burgeoning inside him in intimate scenes with his godfather Sirius, which makes Sirius’ sudden and surprising death at the end of the film all the more painful.
All the Harry Potter Movies, Ranked|Eliana Dockterman|October 28, 2021|Time
LaBerge, the closest thing to the godfather of the field, pinned down some of its common biological traits—that it occurs in the later stages of REM sleep when rapid eye movement peaks, for example.
I taught myself to lucid dream. You can too.|Neel V. Patel|August 25, 2021|MIT Technology Review
After every draft, they compile each team’s letter-grade assessments from a variety of outlets, including ESPN’s Mel Kiper — the godfather of draftniks.
Sorry, But NFL Draft Grades Can’t Tell You Who Had A Good Draft|Neil Paine (neil.paine@fivethirtyeight.com)|May 3, 2021|FiveThirtyEight
Costell selected her brother and Klimas to be godfathers to both of her children.
Prominent D.C. Realtor, avid traveler Kurt Rieschick dies at 50|Lou Chibbaro Jr.|January 20, 2021|Washington Blade

He told the Times that after the deaths of his parents, he grew up with a godmother who was a domestic and a godfather employed at a mattress factory.
Eric Jerome Dickey, best-selling African American novelist, dies at 59|Emily Langer|January 7, 2021|Washington Post
When Fossella was first elected to Congress in 1997 at age 32, Molinari was described as his political godfather.
Will Dirty Pol Vito Fossella Replace Dirty Pol Michael Grimm?|David Freedlander|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Forty-two years after its debut, The Godfather casts a long shadow over American cinema.
The Alterna-‘Godfather’: ‘A Most Violent Year’|Nick Schager|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Sandra Bullock won for ‘The Blind Side’ and Al Pacino lost for both Godfather movies.
Exclusive: Aaron Sorkin Thinks Male Film Roles Have Bigger ‘Degree of Difficulty’ Than Female Ones|William Boot|December 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
There was Radim Palouš, the sonorous philosophical godfather of Kampademia.
How Havel Inspired the Velvet Revolution|Michael Zantovsky|December 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The godfather, Alston, was around back of the building, sitting on a bench at the edge of the playground.
This Brooklyn 6-Year-Old’s Murderer Is Still on the Loose|Michael Daly|June 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He watched over and protected the misguided woman, consenting to act as godfather to the child she had by Lousteau.
Repertory Of The Comedie Humaine, Complete, A -- Z|Anatole Cerfberr and Jules Franois Christophe
At 78 one must expect to go to Heaven shortly, but still one's friends will be sorry, no doubt, and Hal loses his godfather.
Letters of Lt.-Col. George Brenton Laurie|George Brenton Laurie
Almost immediately after the marriage Lorenzo set out for Milan to visit the new Duke, and stand godfather to his heir.
Florence and Northern Tuscany with Genoa|Edward Hutton
If you are chosen godfather, you are expected to send a silver mug to your godchild.
The Complete Bachelor|Walter Germain
He was the godfather of typhoid fever, and from being a famous clinician became later a great pathologist.
An Epitome of the History of Medicine|Roswell Park

British Dictionary definitions for godfather

godfather

/ (ˈɡɒdˌfɑːðə) /

noun

a male godparent

the head of a Mafia family or other organized criminal ring

an originator or leading exponentthe godfather of South African pop

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

godfather

Origin of godfather

OTHER WORDS FROM godfather

Words nearby godfather

Words related to godfather

How to use godfather in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for godfather