patronage
/ˈpætɹənɪd͡ʒ/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.45 in modern English
12
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
3
Syllables
8
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A communication that indicates lack of respect by patronizing the recipient; condescension; disdain.
Countable; Uncountable
noun
Granting favours or giving contracts or making appointments to office in return for political support.
Countable; Uncountable
noun
The right of presentation to church or ecclesiastical benefice; advowson.
British usage; Countable; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "His vigorous patronage of the conservatives got him in trouble with progressives."
- "The restaurant had an upper-class patronage."
- "The improved service to and from Taunton is fully justified by the passenger patronage to and from this town, which is a railhead for a large surrounding area."
- "In addition to employment in the area, once you factor in the patronage of people visiting the various sites, it's not difficult to see why it's being redeveloped. The current station building is tiny in comparison to other stations with a similar patronage."
- "The restaurant had "Thank you for your patronage!" printed on its take-out bags."
- "Patronage, nepotism, cronyism, abuse of power, and criminal activity flourish, sometimes for decades, in numerous town halls, police stations, and special-purpose government agencies in the suburbs."
Etymology
From Middle English patronage, from Old French patronage (modern French patronage). Equivalent to patron + -age. Piecewise doublet of patternage.
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- British English: /ˈpætɹənɪd͡ʒ/
Usage
- Countable
- Uncountable
- British usage
- Transitive verb