Wiktionary

godmother

English

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Etymology

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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

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Noun

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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

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Hypernyms

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Derived terms

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Translations

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Verb

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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

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Middle English

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Noun

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godmother

  1. (Late Middle English) Alternative form of godmoder
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