Godwin

American  

[god-win] / ˈgɒd wɪn /

noun

1. Also Godwine Earl of the West Saxons, died 1053, English statesman.

2. Gail, born 1937, U.S. novelist and short-story writer.

3. Mary Wollstonecraft 1759–97, English writer.

4. her husband William, 1756–1836, English political philosopher, novelist, and essayist.

5. a male given name: from an Old English word meaning “good friend.”

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Godwin British  

/ ˈɡɒdwɪn /

noun

1. died 1053, Earl of Wessex. He was chief adviser to Canute and Edward the Confessor. His son succeeded Edward to the throne as Harold II

2. Mary. See (Mary) Wollstonecraft

3. William. 1756–1836, British political philospher and novelist. In An Enquiry concerning Political Justice (1793), he rejected government and social institutions, including marriage. His views greatly influenced English romantic writers

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Example Sentences

Aaron Burr, the vice president Jefferson sidelined, held up Godwin as one of his favorite authors.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 9, 2026

Skarsgård plays egocentric concert director Johannes Godwin, who has been hired to film Charli’s “Brat” show and who has some dominating ideas.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 4, 2026

The home team went into a 28-14 lead early in the fourth quarter after Baker Mayfield made touchdown passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.

From BBC • Dec. 12, 2025

Meanwhile, Godwin Friday's New Democratic Party took home the remaining 14, giving him a comprehensive victory in the tourism-dependent archipelago of just 100,000 inhabitants.

From Barron's • Nov. 29, 2025

Godwin was a bishop and a crackpot; he seems to have believed that he had invented the radio.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton