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spon·sor (spŏnsər)
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n.
1. One who assumes responsibility for another person or a group during a period of instruction, apprenticeship, or probation.
2. One who vouches for the suitability of a candidate for admission, as to an organization.
3. A legislator who proposes and urges adoption of a bill.
4. Christianity One who presents a candidate for baptism or confirmation; a godparent.
5. One that finances a project, event, or organization directed by another person or group, such as a business enterprise that pays for radio or television programming in return for advertising time.
tr.v. spon·sored, spon·sor·ing, spon·sors
To act as a sponsor for.

[Late Latin spōnsor, sponsor in baptism, from Latin, surety, from spōnsus, past participle of spondēre, to pledge; see spend- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

spon·sori·al (-sôrē-əl) adj.
sponsor·ship n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.