noun
godfather
GOD-fah-thuh
noun
1
A man who sponsors a child's baptism and promises to help guide their religious upbringing.
"My uncle is my godfather."
2
Someone regarded as a founding or guiding figure in a field.
"He is often called the godfather of punk rock."
3
Informal: the leader of an organized crime family.
"The film follows the rise of a mafia godfather."
How to Use Godfather
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA male godparent, or figuratively, the founding figure behind a movement or field.
Common pairings
godfather of
act as godfather
Word Forms
godfathered past tense, godfathers plural, godfathers singular
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Etymology
From Old English godfaeder, a compound of god and father.