pander

[pan-der]

See more synonyms for pander on Thesaurus.com

noun Also pan·der·er.

a person who furnishes clients for a prostitute or supplies persons for illicit sexual intercourse; procurer; pimp.
a person who caters to or profits from the weaknesses or vices of others.
a go-between in amorous intrigues.

verb (used without object)

to act as a pander; cater basely: to pander to the vile tastes of vulgar persons.

verb (used with object)

to act as a pander for.

Origin of pander

1325–75; earlier pandar(e), generalized use of Middle English name Pandare Pandarus

Related formspan·der·age, nounpan·der·ing·ly, adverbpan·der·ism, nounpan·der·ly, adjective

Can be confusedpanda pander

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for panderer

hustler, pander, whoremonger, mack, panderer, flesh-peddler

Examples from the Web for panderer

Contemporary Examples of panderer

Of late, opponents and reporters have called Romney a panderer and worse.
Cheesy Grits, Y’all: In Defense of Mitt Romney’s Political Pandering
Hank Sheinkopf
March 13, 2012
The governor was denounced by Kristol as an “irresponsible” panderer lacking foreign policy “seriousness.”
The New GOP Warmongers
Matt Latimer
March 22, 2011

Historical Examples of panderer

But your friend, your accomplice, your panderer—the coward who represents you—shall pay for your crime.
Louise de la Valliere
Alexandre Dumas, Pere
She then undressed the body, placed it naturally in bed, and went out to look for "her Billy," her paramour and panderer in vice.
Mississippi Outlaws and the Detectives
Allan Pinkerton
With this sort of despite I was sufficiently inspired, extending equally to the patron and the panderer.
The Guerilla Chief
Mayne Reid
"Panderer" is not a pretty thing to be called, but the pleasant Messrs. Hilkovitz and Berger swallow it.
The Red Conspiracy
Joseph J. Mereto

British Dictionary definitions for panderer

pander

verb

(intr foll by to) to give gratification (to weaknesses or desires)
(archaic when tr) to act as a go-between in a sexual intrigue (for)

noun Also: panderer

a person who caters for vulgar desires, esp in order to make money
a person who procures a sexual partner for another; pimp

Word Origin for pander

C16 (n): from Pandare Pandarus

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

Word Origin and History for panderer

pander

"arranger of sexual liaisons, one who supplies another with the means of gratifying lust," 1520s, "procurer, pimp," from Middle English Pandare (late 14c.), used by Chaucer ("Troylus and Cryseyde"), who borrowed it from Boccaccio (who had it in Italian form Pandaro in "Filostrato") as name of the prince (Greek Pandaros), who procured the love of Cressida (his niece in Chaucer, his cousin in Boccaccio) for Troilus. The story and the name are medieval inventions. Spelling influenced by agent suffix -er.

pander

"to indulge (another), to minister to base passions," c.1600, from pander (n.). Related: Pandered; pandering.

panderer in Medicine

Pander

[pän′dər]Christian Heinrich 1794-1865

Russian-born German anatomist and pioneer embryologist. With Karl Ernst von Baer he discovered the distinct structural layers of the chick embryo.