godmother

English

Etymology

From Middle English godmoder, from Old English godmōdor (godmother), equivalent to god + mother. Cognate with Old High German gotmuoter (godmother), Old Norse guðmóðir (godmother), Icelandic guðmóður (godmother), Swedish gudmoder (godmother), Danish gudmor (godmother).

Pronunciation

Noun

godmother (plural godmothers)

  1. A woman present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner; a female godparent who sponsors the baptism of a child.

Synonyms

Hypernyms

Hyponyms

Translations

Verb

godmother (third-person singular simple present godmothers, present participle godmothering, simple past and past participle godmothered)

  1. (transitive) To act as godmother to.
    • 1909, H. G. Wells, Tono-Bungay
      The servants took to her – as they say – she godmothered three Susans during her rule, the coachman's, the gardener's and the Up Hill gamekeeper's.

References


Middle English

Noun

godmother

  1. (Late Middle English) Alternative form of godmoder
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