sponsor

[ spon-ser ]
/ ˈspɒn sər /

noun

a person who vouches or is responsible for a person or thing.
a person, firm, organization, etc., that finances and buys the time to broadcast a radio or television program so as to advertise a product, a political party, etc.
a person who makes a pledge or promise on behalf of another.
a person who answers for an infant at baptism, making the required professions and assuming responsibility for the child's religious upbringing; godfather or godmother.

verb (used with object)

to act as sponsor for; promise, vouch, or answer for.

Origin of sponsor

1645–55; < Latin spōnsor guarantor, equivalent to spond(ēre) to pledge + -tor -tor, with dt > s

OTHER WORDS FROM sponsor

spon·so·ri·al [spon-sawr-ee-uhl, -sohr-] /spɒnˈsɔr i əl, -ˈsoʊr-/, adjective spon·sor·ship, noun un·spon·sored, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for sponsor

British Dictionary definitions for sponsor

sponsor
/ (ˈspɒnsə) /

noun

(a person or group that provides funds for an activity, esp)
  1. a commercial organization that pays all or part of the cost of putting on a concert, sporting event, etc
  2. a person who donates money to a charity when the person requesting the donation has performed a specified activity as part of an organized fund-raising effort
mainly US and Canadian a person or business firm that pays the costs of a radio or television programme in return for advertising time
a legislator who presents and supports a bill, motion, etc
Also called: godparent
  1. an authorized witness who makes the required promises on behalf of a person to be baptized and thereafter assumes responsibility for his Christian upbringing
  2. a person who presents a candidate for confirmation
mainly US a person who undertakes responsibility for the actions, statements, obligations, etc, of another, as during a period of apprenticeship; guarantor

verb

(tr) to act as a sponsor for

Derived forms of sponsor

sponsorial (spɒnˈsɔːrɪəl), adjective sponsorship, noun

Word Origin for sponsor

C17: from Latin, from spondēre to promise solemnly