What does "godmother" mean?

Q: What does "godmother" mean?

1. (female sponsor for a child) a woman who promises to help look after a child and support their upbringing, often chosen by the parents at a baptism.

godmother — meaning, definition & examples

Definition

n. a woman who promises to help look after a child and support their upbringing, often chosen by the parents at a baptism.

n. a female godparent who sponsors a child at their baptism or naming ceremony, assuming a symbolic or religious responsibility for the child's welfare.

simple

“She became the godmother of her best friend's son.”

contextual

“The child's godmother was a close family friend who promised to help raise him if the parents ever moved away.”

complex

“In many traditional cultures, the godmother is expected to serve as a moral compass for the child, offering wisdom and protection throughout their life.”

“Victoria would go on to pay for Bonetta’s education, approve her marriage to one of west Africa’s wealthiest men, and become godmother to her eldest daughter.”

The Guardian 18 Oct 2026

From Middle English godmoder, from Old English godmōdor (“godmother”), equivalent to god- + mother. Cognate with Old High German gotmuoter (“godmother”), Old Norse guðmóðir (“godmother”), Icelandic guðmóður (“godmother”), Swedish gudmoder (“godmother”), Danish gudmor (“godmother”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

sponsor

godfather

NOUN

godmother(B2)