Etymology: < (i) Anglo-Norman and Old French, Middle French, French patron model, pattern (12th cent.), tutelary saint of a church (mid 13th cent.; 1615 in more general sense ‘patron saint’), protector, benefactor (late 13th cent.), person with the right to present to an ecclesiastical benefice (1278 in Anglo-Norman), master of a serf or client (1282; 16th cent. with reference to ancient Rome; 1671 in sense ‘master of a slave’), commander of a boat or ship (1337; 1427–30 in Anglo-Norman in sense ‘captain of a carrack’), master of a house (1611 in Cotgrave), employer (1812), and its etymon (ii) classical Latin patrōnus protector and defender of individuals, of cities, or provinces, former master of a freedman or freedwoman, advocate or defender before a court of justice, or, generally, of any person or cause, in post-classical Latin also patron saint (4th cent.), feudal lord (9th cent.), patron of a church, holder of an advowson (from 12th cent. in British and continental sources), master of a ship, exemplar, pattern (from 14th cent. in British and continental sources) < patr- , pater father (see pater n.²) + -ōnus , suffix forming nouns. Compare Old Occitan padron , padro , Catalan padró , Spanish patrón (1255 as patron , also padrón (1156; now only in senses of pattern n.), patrono (1325)), Portuguese patrono (15th cent., also padrão , now only in senses of pattern n.; 13th cent. as padron ), Italian padrone (also †patrone : see padrone n.); also Middle Dutch patrone , patroon (Dutch patroon ), Middle Low German patrōne , patrōn , Middle High German patrone (German Patron ), Old Swedish patron (Swedish patron ), Old Danish patrone (Danish patron ). Compare matron n.patron n. and pattern n. were originally the same word: those senses which are today distinguished in form in Standard English are covered under pattern n. See also patroon n. In sense 1 so called from the original function of advocate and defender: compare advocate n. 1, advowee n. 1. In sense 2a, with reference to ancient Greece, used to render ancient Greek προστάτης (see prostate n. and adj.). In sense 7a chiefly after Italian padrone master of a ship (see padrone n.). In sense 8 probably after Spanish patrón . In sense 9 after Spanish patrón , patrono (1606–10 in Mexico in this sense; for a related sense in a different cultural context compare patroon n. 4). In sense 10a after Dutch patroon (1637 in this sense), Middle Low German patrone , or German †Patron (16th cent. in this sense), Patrone (17th cent. in this sense), all < French patron model, mould (see pattern n.). The form patorne reflects a metathesized pronunciation also seen in pattern n. There is some evidence for a pronunciation with a short vowel in the first syllable (as e.g. recorded in all editions of D. Jones Eng. Pronouncing Dict.), probably arising from analogy with pattern n. However, most pronunciation dictionaries from the 18th cent. onwards record only a diphthong.

Etymology: < patron n. Compare Middle French, French patronner to patronize, protect (1501), post-classical Latin patronare to act as (ecclesiastical) patron of (c1309, 1549 in British sources), to stamp, mark (14th cent. in British sources). Compare earlier patronize v., patronage v.