Added 9 October 2026
patronize
/ˈpætɹəˌnaɪz/ verb
Latin root: patronizāre Wiktionary
verb Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about patronize at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- Assume sponsorship of.
- Do one's shopping at; do business with; be a customer or client of.
- Treat condescendingly.
Origin
From patron + -ize (verb ending); or from Old French patroniser, from Medieval Latin patronizāre (“to lead a galley as patron”). Piecewise doublet of patternize.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)