patronize

American  

[pey-truh-nahyz, pa‑] / ˈpeɪ trəˌnaɪz, ˈpæ‑ /

especially British, patronise

verb (used with object)

patronizes, present (3rd person singular) patronized, past participle, past patronizing present participle

1. to give (a store, restaurant, hotel, etc.) one's regular patronage; trade with.

2. to behave in an offensively condescending manner toward.

   a professor who patronizes his students.

3. to act as a patron toward (an artist, institution, etc.); support.

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patronize British  

/ ˈpætrəˌnaɪz /

verb

1. to behave or treat in a condescending way

2. (tr) to act as a patron or patroness by sponsoring or bringing trade to

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Usage

What does patronize mean? To patronize is to be a customer (or patron) of a business or other establishment. In this sense, patronize most often means to be a paying customer, especially a regular one. However, you can patronize establishments that are not businesses—you can patronize a library, for example. Example: I patronize local shops and restaurants whenever I can in order to support people in my own community, instead of enriching faceless corporations. Patronize also means to act condescendingly toward a person in a way that arrogantly implies that you’re being kind or helpful to that person. This often takes the form of speaking to someone as if they were a child. Someone who acts in this way can be described as patronizing. Example: Don’t patronize me, Jeff—I understand the topic just as well as you do.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• patronization
  noun
• patronizer
  noun
• repatronize
  verb (used with object)
• transpatronize
  verb (used with object)
• patronizable
  adjective
• unpatronizable
  adjective
• well-patronized
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• patronizing
  present
• patronized
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• patronize
  simple
• patronizes
  simple
• have patronized
  perfect
• has patronized
  perfect
• am patronizing
  progressive
• are patronizing
  progressive
• is patronizing
  progressive
• have been patronizing
  perfect progressive
• has been patronizing
  perfect progressive

Past

• patronized
  simple
• had patronized
  perfect
• was patronizing
  progressive
• were patronizing
  progressive
• had been patronizing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will patronize
  simple
• will have patronized
  perfect
• will be patronizing
  progressive
• will have been patronizing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of patronize

First recorded in 1580–90; patron + -ize

Explanation

If you patronize a business, you shop there regularly. But if someone patronizes you, it's not so pleasant — they talk to you as if you were inferior or not very intelligent. Patronize comes from Latin patronus "protector, master," related to pater "father." So if you patronize a person, you talk down to them like a father might do to his child or a master to his apprentice. If you want to take an advanced class and your advisor warns you of all the hard work, you can tell him to stop patronizing you — you know a hard class involves hard work. This sounds much better than saying, "I'm not stupid!"

Example Sentences

Feeling understandably patronised, they shrugged off the suggestion.

From BBC • Nov. 9, 2024

As NHS funding for hepatitis remained limited, and awareness low, victims told BBC News how they felt doctors patronised and ignored them instead of offering tests and support.

From BBC • May 9, 2024

The answer lies, as it so often does, in a pride in her roots and a history of feeling patronised by those whose upbringing was more secure, and more privileged, than her own.

From BBC • May 13, 2022

Ramy’s best friend, Steve – played by Steve Way, who has muscular dystrophy – is also a rare disabled character on television who is not patronised or “othered”, but afforded his own narrative.

From The Guardian • Feb. 5, 2021

The franciscan order was fast becoming a Papal institution, to be patronised and ruled by succeeding Pontiffs.

From The Story of Assisi by Gordon, Lina Duff

Related Words

• deign
• snub