Godfather
/ˈɡɑdˌfæðər/noun
A male sponsor at baptism or, more generally, a man who stands in a parental or protective role.
Did you know?In medieval Christianity, a godfather was a baptismal sponsor whose role was so serious that the Church treated the relationship as a real kinship tie, creating a forbidden marriage barrier between sponsor and family.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ǵʰutós
“invoked one; a deity or one called upon”
Old English
OE
godfæder
“male baptismal sponsor; spiritual father”
Middle English
ME
godfader
“male sponsor at baptism; also an honorary or protective older man”
Early Modern English
English
godfather
“a baptismal sponsor; later also a mentor or protector”
Modern English
English
godfather
“a male baptismal sponsor or a powerful mentor/patron”