Donors

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈdoʊnɚz/

Definitions

1. Entities that offer contributions, whether monetary, material, or voluntary efforts, to assist a particular cause or initiative
2. Individuals who provide financial or material support, often for charitable purposes, to promote activities or projects in need
3. Persons or groups that provide something, such as money or goods, to help others or support a cause

Etymology: "Donors" is the plural of "donor", which entered English in Middle English as "donoure" or "donour". The noun came through Anglo-Norman, the form of French used in England after the Norman Conquest, where it was "donour", and it traces back to Old French "doneur". That Old French word is the agent form of the verb "donner", "to give", so a donor is literally one who gives. The plural simply adds the regular "-s" to the singular, so "donors" inherits the whole history of "donor" and the same sense of a person or body who hands something over.

Synonyms: contributors, givers, benefactors, patrons, backers

Antonyms: recipients, takers, acceptors, borrowers, users