godmother

From Middle English godmoder, from Old English godmōdor (“godmother”), equivalent to god- +‎ mother. Cognate with Old High German gotmuoter (“godmother”), Old Norse guðmóðir (“godmother”), Icelandic guðmóður (“godmother”), Swedish gudmoder (“godmother”), Danish gudmor (“godmother”).

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈɡɒdmʌðə/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: god‧mother

godmother (plural godmothers)

1. A woman present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner; a female godparent who sponsors the baptism of a child.

• co-mother
• cummer

• godparent

• godfather
• godchild
• goddaughter
• godsib
• godson

godmother (third-person singular simple present godmothers, present participle godmothering, simple past and past participle godmothered)

1. (transitive) To act as godmother to.
   • 1909, H. G. Wells, Tono-Bungay:

     The servants took to her – as they say – she godmothered three Susans during her rule, the coachman's, the gardener's and the Up Hill gamekeeper's.

• godmother on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

godmother

1. (Late Middle English) Alternative form of godmoder