Patroniser

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A person who speaks to or behaves toward others in a way that suggests they are inferior or less intelligent
2. Someone who adopts a superior attitude and treats people as though they need simplification or special consideration
3. One who adopts an air of superiority and addresses others as though they lack competence or understanding

Etymology: "Patroniser" is the British spelling of "patronizer," and it is formed simply by adding the agent suffix to "patronise." The verb itself goes back to the Latin "patronus," meaning a protector or patron of a client, and the English verb developed a condescending edge over time: to patronise someone came to mean treating them with a superior air, as if they were a dependant rather than an equal. The suffix does the rest of the work. Adding the "-er" ending turns the verb into a noun for the person who does the patronising, so the word names someone who adopts that condescending manner. Its meaning therefore follows directly from the verb, which is why the sense of superiority is built into the word from the start.

Synonyms: condescender