patron

¹

[pey-truhn]

noun

1. a person who is a customer, client, or paying guest, especially a regular one, of a store, hotel, or the like.

2. a person who supports with money, gifts, efforts, or endorsement an artist, writer, museum, cause, charity, institution, special event, or the like.

   a patron of the arts; patrons of the annual Democratic dance.

3. a person whose support or protection is solicited or acknowledged by the dedication of a book or other work.

4. patron saint.

5. Roman History.,  the protector of a dependent or client, often the former master of a freedman still retaining certain rights over him.

6. Ecclesiastical.,  a person who has the right of presenting a member of the clergy to a benefice.

patrón

²

[pah-trawn]

noun

Spanish.

plural

patrones 

1. (in Mexico and the southwestern U.S.) a boss; employer.

patron

¹

/ ˈpeɪtrən, pəˈtrəʊnəl /

noun

1. a person, esp a man, who sponsors or aids artists, charities, etc; protector or benefactor

2. a customer of a shop, hotel, etc, esp a regular one

3. See patron saint

4. (in ancient Rome) the protector of a dependant or client, often the former master of a freedman still retaining certain rights over him

5. Christianity a person or body having the right to present a clergyman to a benefice

patron

²

/ patrɔ̃ /

noun

1. a man, who owns or manages a hotel, restaurant, or bar

patron

³

/ ˈpætərn /

noun

1. a variant spelling of pattern 2

Other Word Forms

• patronal adjective
• patronly adjective
• patrondom noun
• patronship noun
• patronless adjective
• subpatronal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of patron¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Medieval Latin, Latin patrōnus “legal protector, advocate” ( Medieval Latin: “lord, master”), derivative of pater “father”; pattern

Origin of patron²

First recorded in 1860–65; from Spanish; patron ( def. )

Word History and Origins

Origin of patron¹

C14: via Old French from Latin patrōnus protector, from pater father

Example Sentences

Kahn prepared the letter on behalf of his longtime boss and patron, Jeffrey Epstein.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Thanks to his noble position—Jean was a son, brother and uncle of French kings—the duke had become a patron of the arts, and he commissioned several books of hours throughout his life.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

A list of commissioners grew like plants after a rainstorm, the Master Chorale being one, along with several Southern California new music patrons.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The painting shows Lederer, an heiress and the daughter of one of Klimt's patrons, wearing a white robe and stood in front of a blue tapestry covered in Asian motifs.

Read more on BBC

The piece depicts the daughter of Klimt's main patron dressed in a white imperial Chinese dress, standing before a blue tapestry with Asian-inspired motifs.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• advocate 
• backer 
• benefactor 
• fan 
• friend 
• leader 
• philanthropist 
• sponsor 
• supporter 
• well-wisher