godmother
English edit
Etymology edit
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 edit
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈɡɒdmʌðə/
Audio (Southern England) (file) - Hyphenation: god‧mother
Noun edit
godmother (plural godmothers)
- 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 edit
Hypernyms edit
Derived terms edit
Related terms edit
Translations edit
woman present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner
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Verb edit
godmother (third-person singular simple present godmothers, present participle godmothering, simple past and past participle godmothered)
- (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 edit
Middle English edit
Noun edit
godmother
- (Late Middle English) Alternative form of godmoder