Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “patron” come from?

Patron comes from Middle English patrone, from Old French patron, from Latin patronus, derived from pater meaning "father," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ph₂tḗr and the root peh₂-.

patron (English): One who protects or supports; a defender or...

Definitions

  1. One who protects or supports; a defender or...

Ancestry of “patron”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishpatrounA ruler, leader or boss; a man who is in charge...
2Old Frenchpatronmodel; patron, protector
3Latinpatrōnus—
4Latinpaterfather; head of household; parent
5Proto-Italicpatērfather
6Proto-Indo-Europeanph₂tḗrfather
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpeh₂-to protect; to shepherd

Words derived from “patron”

  • patronize
  • patronising
  • patronise
  • patronisingly
  • patronization
  • patronizer
  • patronless
  • patroniser
  • patronly
  • unpatronising
  • unpatronisingly
  • copatron
  • patronlike
  • patronizable
  • impatronize
  • unpatroned
  • nonpatron
  • enpatron
  • petron
Every word from Proto-Indo-European peh₂- →