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
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
Despite his status as a longtime Democratic donor, Ellison’s acquisition of The Free Press and his installation of founder Bari Weiss atop CBS News also raised alarm from Democrats, who have criticized some of her editorial decisions as biased against the left.
—
Max Tani, semafor.com, 6 Mar. 2026
In clinical trials, doctors have treated some patients with allogeneic CAR-T products, which are made from the cells of healthy donors and can be used for more than one patient.
—Jason Liebowitz, New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2026
The project, built with a lead gift from philanthropist Denny Sanford and the help of more than 5,200 other donors, includes two pools that elephants can splash in, a two-story restaurant called Mkutano House and an expansive grassy area called Mkutano Park.
—Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Mar. 2026
Boise’s City Council voted to make the Pride flag and an organ donor flag official city flags to satisfy the law’s requirements.
—Idaho Statesman, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for donor
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Max Tani, semafor.com, 6 Mar. 2026
In clinical trials, doctors have treated some patients with allogeneic CAR-T products, which are made from the cells of healthy donors and can be used for more than one patient.
—Jason Liebowitz, New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2026
The project, built with a lead gift from philanthropist Denny Sanford and the help of more than 5,200 other donors, includes two pools that elephants can splash in, a two-story restaurant called Mkutano House and an expansive grassy area called Mkutano Park.
—Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Mar. 2026
Boise’s City Council voted to make the Pride flag and an organ donor flag official city flags to satisfy the law’s requirements.
—Idaho Statesman, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for donor
Cite this Entry
“Donor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/donor. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
Legal Definition
donor
noun
do·nor
ˈdō-nər, -ˌnȯr
: one that gives, donates, grants, or confers something
specifically
: settlor
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