Entry Word: patron

Function: noun

Meaning: 1 a person who buys a product or uses a service from a business <a restaurant patron> — see customer 1
2 a person who takes the responsibility for some other person or thing <the patron for the art exhibit is the cityʼs biggest banking institution> — see sponsor
3 one that helps another with gifts or money <heʼs now a famous writer because he had a patron who paid for his college education> — see benefactor