patronize

C2 Topic:Business & Commerce

Also spelled patronise

US /ˈpeɪtɹənaɪz/ See IPA manual

Freq #19419

Meanings

1

verb
To talk to someone as if they were less intelligent or important than you.

Don't patronize me; I understand the situation perfectly well.
2

verb
To be a regular customer of a shop or business.

Locals have patronized the same bakery for generations.
3

verb
To support or sponsor a person, organization, or cause.

Wealthy families once patronized young artists and musicians.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to talk to someone as if... condescendinfantilize

2 verb · to be a regular customer of... support shop

3 verb · to support or sponsor a... sponsor

Word family

Forms patronisedpatronizedpatronizes

Derived forms patronisablepatronisationpatroniserpatronisingpatronisinglypatronizablepatronizationpatronizerpatronizing patronizinglyunderpatronizedunpatronised

Related forms nonpatronagepatrocinationpatron patronagepatronalpatronatepatronesspatronessshippatronless patronly patronship

Etymology

From patron + -ize (verb ending); or from Old French patroniser, from Medieval Latin patronizāre (“to lead a galley as patron”). Piecewise doublet of patternize.

patroniser Old French patronizāre la-med

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Business & Commerce Shopping & Services Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# patronize

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈpeɪtɹənaɪz/
**Frequency rank:** 19419

## Meanings
1. To talk to someone as if they were less intelligent or important than you.
2. To be a regular customer of a shop or business.
3. To support or sponsor a person, organization, or cause.

## Examples
- Don't patronize me; I understand the situation perfectly well.
- Locals have patronized the same bakery for generations.
- Wealthy families once patronized young artists and musicians.

## Derived Forms
- patronisable
- patronisation
- patroniser
- patronising
- patronisingly
- patronizable
- patronization
- patronizer
- patronizing
- patronizingly
- underpatronized
- unpatronised

## Related Forms
- nonpatronage
- patrocination
- patron
- patronage
- patronal
- patronate
- patroness
- patronessship
- patronless
- patronly
- patronship

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: patroniser
- Root: patronizāre

## Etymology
From patron + -ize (verb ending); or from Old French patroniser, from Medieval Latin patronizāre (“to lead a galley as patron”). Piecewise doublet of patternize.

## AI Etymology
Patronize is from patron + -ize (verb ending); or from Old French patroniser, from Medieval Latin patronizāre (“to lead a galley as patron”). Piecewise doublet of patternize. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern verbal form is built from the named base and affix. Important recorded forms include patroniser (Old French) and patronizāre (la-med). Current senses include to talk to someone as if they were less intelligent or important than you, to be a regular customer of a shop or business, and to support or sponsor a person, organization, or cause. The wider family includes derived forms such as patronisable, patronisation, patroniser, patronising, and patronisingly and related words such as nonpatronage, patrocination, patron, patronage, and patronal.

## Topics
- Business & Commerce
- Shopping & Services
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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patronize

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