donor

noun

do·​nor ˈdō-nər How to pronounce donor (audio)
-ˌnȯr
1
: one that gives, donates, or presents something
2
: one used as a source of biological material (such as blood or an organ)
3
a
: a compound capable of giving up a part (such as an atom, chemical group, or subatomic particle) for combination with an acceptor
b
: an impurity added to a semiconductor to increase the number of mobile electrons

Examples of donor in a Sentence

The money was raised from individual donors. She is one of the charity's major donors.
Recent Examples on the Web Between the lines: Several sources in both parties pointed to Vice President Harris replacing President Biden atop the Democratic ticket in July, shortly into the third quarter, as a critical driver of Democratic donor excitement. Andrew Solender, Axios, 17 Oct. 2024 The world’s wealthiest university on Thursday reported receiving more than $525 million in current-use donations during fiscal year 2024, a signal of unshaken donor faith during a year of turbulence. Fortune Editors, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2024 How tech titans became an influential donor class in San Francisco’s mayoral race This year’s San Francisco mayoral race could signify an ideological shift in the historically liberal city. Defne Karabatur, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2024 Elon Musk became one of the largest donors of the entire 2024 election cycle in just three months. William Gavin, Quartz, 16 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for donor 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'donor.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English donoure, from Anglo-French doneur, from Latin donator, from donare

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of donor was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near donor

Cite this Entry

“Donor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/donor. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

donor

noun
do·​nor ˈdō-nər How to pronounce donor (audio)
-ˌnȯr
1
: one that donates
2
: one used as a source of bodily material or parts
a blood donor
a kidney donor

Medical Definition

donor

noun
1
: one used as a source of biological material (as blood or an organ)
2
: a compound capable of giving up a part (as an atom, chemical group, or elementary particle) for combination with an acceptor

Legal Definition

donor

noun
: one that gives, donates, grants, or confers something
specifically : settlor

More from Merriam-Webster on donor

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!