English
sponsor
Sponsor comes from Latin spōnsor ‘a surety", in Late Latin "a sponsor in baptism’, from spondeō ‘to promise’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *spend- ‘to libate’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*spend-‘to libate’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*spondéyetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*spondejōreconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*spondeō‘to promise, pledge’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEspondeō‘to promise’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEspōnsor‘a surety", in Late Latin "a sponsor in baptism’
- Englishearliest quotation 1908sponsor
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*spend-‘to libate’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*spondéyetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*spondejōreconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*spondeō‘to promise, pledge’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEspondeō‘to promise’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEspōnsor‘a surety", in Late Latin "a sponsor in baptism’
- Englishearliest quotation 1908sponsor
Earliest quotation: 1908, William Blair Morton Ferguson, New York: “The colonel and his sponsor made a queer contrast:…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *spend- ‘to libate’
through Proto-Italic *spondeō ‘to promise, pledge’
through Latin spondeō ‘to promise’
Today it means
noun A person or organization with some sort of responsibility for another person or organization, especially where the responsibility has a religious, legal, or financial aspect.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *spend- / sponsor