donor

noun

do·​nor ˈdō-nər 

-ˌnȯr

1

: one that gives, donates, or presents something

2

: one used as a source of biological material (such as blood or an organ)

3

a

: a compound capable of giving up a part (such as an atom, chemical group, or subatomic particle) for combination with an acceptor

b

: an impurity added to a semiconductor to increase the number of mobile electrons

Synonyms of donor

• donator
• benefactor
• contributor
• patron

Examples of donor in a Sentence

The money was raised from individual donors.

She is one of the charity's major donors.

Recent Examples on the Web

Statistical data shows that total expenditure for these midterms approached 12 billion dollars, with Musk contributing nearly 500 million dollars to the Republican party as the election cycle's single largest individual donor. — CNBC, 6 Nov. 2026

Hilton said his campaign had built an infrastructure of donors and a positive policy playbook that energized crowds in a way past campaigns had not. — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 6 Nov. 2026

That explains why anti-corruption played such a central role in Democratic campaigns this cycle, with candidates accusing their Republican opponents of looking out for themselves or their donors rather than a broader constituency. — Seung Min Kim, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026

Behind the scenes, an array of donors expressed discontent, according to reporting by the New York Times. — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 5 Nov. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English donoure, from Anglo-French doneur, from Latin donator, from donare

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing donor

• donor card
• sperm donor
• universal donor

Rhymes for donor

• kroner
• kronor
• loner
• owner
• stoner
• toner
• homeowner
• landowner
• shipowner

Kids Definition

donor

noun

do·​nor ˈdō-nər 

-ˌnȯr

1

: one that donates

2

: one used as a source of bodily material or parts

a blood donor

a kidney donor

Medical Definition

donor

noun

do·​nor ˈdō-nər  -ˌnȯ(ə)r 

1

: one used as a source of biological material (as blood or an organ)

2

: a compound capable of giving up a part (as an atom, chemical group, or elementary particle) for combination with an acceptor

Legal Definition

donor

noun

do·​nor ˈdō-nər, -ˌnȯr 

: one that gives, donates, grants, or confers something

specifically : settlor