What does "godfather" mean?
Godfather: A man who becomes sponsor for a child at baptism, and makes himself a surety for its Christian training and instruction. There shall be for every Male-child to be baptized, when they can be had, two Godfathers and one Godmother; and for every Female, one Godfather and two Godmothers; and Parents shall be admitted as Sponsors, if it is desired. Book of Common Prayer (Prot. Episc. Ch., U. S. ).
Additional senses
- 2.To act as godfather to; to take under one's fostering care. [R.] Burke.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00