godfather en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈɡɒdfɑːðə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈɡɑdfɑðɚ/ (General-American)
- (US) audio
Etymology
From Middle English godfader, from Old English godfæder (“godfather”), equivalent to god- + father. Cognate with Old Saxon godfadar (“godfather”), Middle Dutch godvader (“godfather”), Danish gudfader, gudfar (“godfather”), Swedish gudfader, gudfar (“godfather”), Icelandic guðfaðir (“godfather”).
Meanings
- A man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner; a male godparent who sponsors the baptism of a child.
-
(figuratively) Someone who plays a key role in fostering the development of something.
The man often touted as the godfather of AI has quit Google, citing concerns over the flood of misinformation, the possibility for AI to upend the job market, and the “existential risk” posed by the creation of a true digital intelligence.
2023 May 2, Josh Taylor, Alex Hern, “‘Godfather of AI’ Geoffrey Hinton quits Google and warns over dangers of misinformation”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:“They are trying to kill the messenger with the bad news, it’s crazy,” said Dr James Hansen, known as the godfather of climate science and previously director of Giss for more than 30 years.
2025 May 21, Oliver Milman, “Godfather of climate science decries Trump plan to shut Nasa lab above Seinfeld diner: ‘It’s crazy’”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:[…]recalls Henrik Stiesdal, sometimes known as the “godfather” of the wind industry for his influential turbine inventions […].
2026 January 13, Rachel Millard, Alice Hancock, Nic Fildes, “How the west fell behind in green tech”, in Financial Times, Big Read, page 15:
- (qualifier:crime) A mafia leader.
- A small post which is used in repairing a fence. For instance attached to and supporting an existing broken fence post.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| godfathers | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Coordinates
Deriveds
godfathership · godfatherlike · godfatherly · twelve godfathers · godfatherless · godfatherism · godfatherhood · fairy godfather
Hypernyms
Relateds
goddaughter · godchild · godsib · godmother · godson · godparent
Synonyms
godpa (male guardian)
Translations (140)
ka ნათლია (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · fi kummisetä (mafia leader) · gl padriño (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · bg кръ́стник (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · ast padrín (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · eo baptopatro (mafia leader) · izh meeskooma (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · jv kaki among (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · cbk padrino (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · sh ку̑м (mafia leader) · it padrino (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · sh kȗm (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · gd athair-baistidh (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · nb dåpsvitne (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · es padrino (mafia leader) · tl inaama (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · nb gudfar (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · fr parrain (mafia leader) · sk kmotor (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · sh kȗm (mafia leader) · sq nún (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · sk krstný otec (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · de Taufzeuge (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · eu aitabitxi (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · th พ่อทูนหัว (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · cs kmotr (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · ca padrí (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · esu kelussnaq (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · ro naș (mafia leader) · cmn 代父 (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · th พ่ออุปถัมภ์ (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · ar إِشْبِين (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · nn dåpsvitne (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · pl chrzestny (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · sv fadder (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · tl padrino (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · io baptopatro (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · vo hispönan (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · sl boter (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · sq núni (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · rm padrin (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · de Gevatter (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · es padrino (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · id ayah baptis (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · uk хре́сний (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · lv krusttēvs (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · uk хреще́ний (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · pt padrinho (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · de Gote (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · da fadder (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · nn fadder (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · hu keresztapa (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · bg кръ́стник (mafia leader) · he סנדק (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · yrl payangawa (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · dsb kmótš (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · fa-ira پِدَرْخوانْدِه (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · gl compadre (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · fi kummisetä (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · el νονός (mafia leader) · twf kumpàyliʼína (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · de Götti (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · ja 代父 (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · sv gudfader (mafia leader) · ja 名付け親 (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · da gudfar (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · tg падархонди таъмидӣ (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · de Göd (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · rm padregn (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · ja ゴッドファーザー (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · tr kirve (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · oc pairin (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · da gudfader (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · sco godfaither (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · udm киросатай (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · arz شِبِين (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · de Pate (mafia leader) · hy քավոր (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · az mafiya babası (mafia leader) · scn cumpari (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · pt padrinho (mafia leader) · cmn 教父 (mafia leader) · ru крёстный оте́ц (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · or ଧର୍ମ ବାପା (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · mk кум (mafia leader) · tr vaftiz baba (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · cs kmotr (mafia leader) · id bapak baptis (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · az kirvə (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · pl słupek (post used in repairing a fence) · tl ninong (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · vi cha đỡ đầu (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · pl ojciec chrzestny (mafia leader) · nb fadder (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · ru крёстный (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · eo baptopatro (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · ro naș (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · cmn 乾爹 /干爹 (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · uk хреще́ний ба́тько (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · de Taufgöd (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · ga athair baistí (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · mk кум (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · nn gudfar (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · sh ку̑м (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · el νονός (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · ka ნათლიმამა (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · sv gudfader (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · ar عَرَّاب (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · de Firmpate (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · be хро́сны ба́цька (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · tr mafya babası (mafia leader) · hu keresztapa (mafia leader) · de Taufpate (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · gd goistidh (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · it compare (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · la patrinus (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · la susceptorus (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · az xaç atası (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · ro nun (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · ja 親分 (mafia leader) · de Patenonkel (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · hy կնքահայր (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · cy tad bedydd (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · th เจ้าพ่อ (mafia leader) · it padrone (mafia leader) · scn padrinu (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · fr parrain (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · ru крёстный оте́ц (mafia leader) · pl ojciec chrzestny (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · de Firmgöd (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · uk хре́сний ба́тько (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · de Pate (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · ja 教父 (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · nl peter (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · sv gudfar (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · be хро́сны (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · az vorzakon (mafia leader) · ga oide baistí (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · ko 대부 (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner) · nl gevader (man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner)