Donatee

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The individual or organization that is given money, goods, or other gifts by a donor
2. Someone who gets a contribution such as a gift, grant, or charitable offering from another party
3. The recipient of a present, endowment, or charitable gift made by a benefactor

Etymology: The word "donatee" is built from "donate" and the suffix "-ee," which in English marks the person on the receiving end of an action. A donor gives and a donatee receives, so the pair follows the same pattern as "employer" and "employee" or "lessor" and "lessee." The "-ee" suffix entered English through Anglo-Norman and Old French, where the ending "-é" or "-ée" marked the person who undergoes an action, as in "payee" or "grantee." English speakers have since used it freely to form such pairs, which is why a word like "donatee" could be coined from a verb with no older tradition behind it.

Synonyms: recipient, beneficiary, grantee

Antonyms: donor