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godmother

 - 3 dictionary results

god⋅moth⋅er

[god-muhth-er]
–noun
1. a woman who serves as sponsor for a child at baptism.
2. any female sponsor or guardian.
–verb (used with object)
3. to act as godmother to; sponsor.

Origin:
bef. 1000; ME; OE godmōdor. See God, mother 1
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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god·moth·er   (gŏd'mŭth'ər)   
n.  
  1. A woman who sponsors a person at baptism.

  2. One that has a relationship to another person or to something that is the equivalent of being a baptismal sponsor: the godmother to a new generation of physicians.

tr.v.   god·moth·ered, god·moth·er·ing, god·moth·ers
To serve as or as if a godmother to.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Encyclopedia

godmother

one who stands surety for another in the rite of Christian baptism. In the modern baptism of an infant or child the godparent or godparents make profession of faith for the person being baptized (the godchild) and assume an obligation to serve as proxies for the parents if the parents either are unable or neglect to provide for the religious training of the child, in fulfillment of baptismal promises. In churches mandating a sponsor only one godparent is required; two (in most churches, of different sex) are permitted. Many Protestant denominations permit but do not require godparents to join the infant's natural parents as sponsors. In the Roman Catholic Church godparents must be of the Catholic faith.

Learn more about godmother with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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