# godfather

/ˈɡɑdˌfɑðɝ/ (US) · /ɡˈɒdfɑːðɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/godfather
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. religious sponsor

noun · CEFR B1

a man who promises at a Christian baptism to help look after a child and support their religious life.

For teachers: a male godparent who sponsors a child's baptism and assumes a symbolic responsibility for their spiritual upbringing.

- He asked his best friend to be the godfather to his newborn son.
- The role of a godfather traditionally involves a lifelong commitment to the child's moral and spiritual development within the church community.

### 2. crime leader

noun · CEFR B2

the powerful leader of a criminal organization, especially the Mafia.

For teachers: the head of a family or syndicate within an organized crime network, particularly the Sicilian Mafia.

- In the movie, the godfather controls all the illegal business in the city.
- Federal investigators spent years attempting to link the elusive godfather to the syndicate's money-laundering operations.

### 3. influential founder

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

a man who is very important in starting or developing a new idea, style, or movement.

For teachers: a person who plays a seminal or foundational role in the creation and development of a specific field or movement.

- He is often called the godfather of soul music because of his influence.
- Many critics regard the late director as the godfather of modern independent cinema for his pioneering use of handheld cameras.

### 4. to act as a sponsor

verb · CEFR C2 · Formal

to act as a godfather to a child or to support a project like a guardian.

For teachers: to serve as a godfather or to provide protective sponsorship and guidance to a person or initiative.

- He agreed to godfather the new arts program until it found permanent funding.
- The senior partner offered to godfather the associate's career, providing the necessary political cover within the firm's hierarchy.

## Examples

- He asked his best friend to be the godfather of his son.
- The local community considers him the godfather of jazz because he opened the first music school in the city.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.