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donor

n.
US //ˈdoʊnɝ// UK //dˈəʊnɐ// donor
  1. 1 charity or blood (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a person or organisation that gives money, food, or clothes to help others, or someone who gives blood or an organ to a hospital.

    an individual or entity that contributes money, goods, or biological material (such as blood or organs) to a recipient or institution.

    Example

    The charity thanked every donor who gave money to the new school project.

    Example

    The hospital launched an urgent appeal for blood donors to ensure they had enough supplies for the upcoming holiday weekend.

  2. 2 chemistry (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Science

    a molecule or group of atoms that gives a part of itself to another during a chemical reaction.

    an atom, molecule, or ion that provides a particle (such as an electron or proton) to an acceptor during a chemical process.

    Example

    In this reaction, the first molecule acts as the electron donor.

    Example

    The efficiency of the solar cell depends on how effectively the electron donor transfers its charge to the acceptor material.

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  1. 3 for spare parts (n.)
    C1 Advanced Informal

    an old machine or car used to provide parts to fix a better one.

    an object, often a vehicle or electronic device, that is sacrificed to provide functional components for the repair of another unit.

    Example

    He bought a cheap donor car just to get the engine for his project.

    Example

    The technician kept several broken laptops in the back room to serve as donors for screens and keyboards.

Origin

From Middle English donoure, donour; from Anglo-Norman donour, from Old French doneur (See French donneur).

Idioms1 entry

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