Patronizer

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A person who adopts a condescending manner while offering assistance can be perceived as both supportive and patronizing at the same time
2. An individual providing aid while simultaneously exhibiting superiority is often regarded as a superficial benefactor, masking belittlement with kindness
3. An entity that offers help while simultaneously displaying an air of superiority often results in a mix of perceived kindness and condescension

Etymology: Patronizer is a plain English formation: the verb "patronize" with the agent suffix "-er" added to it, so it names someone who patronizes. The suffix itself has a long and tangled path. Its ancestor is the Latin "-arius", which denoted a person connected with or performing something, and it passed into English through Old French "-ier" and Middle English "-er". Along the way, it also passed through Proto-Germanic and Old English, where a separate "-ere" ending was used for the same kind of agent noun, so English "-er" has roots in both Latin and native Germanic speech. The verb it rests on, "patronize," comes from "patron," a word that once meant a protector or guardian, and the negative sense of the verb developed later, so the noun carries the slightly sour flavour of someone whose help comes with an air of superiority. Because "-er" attaches so freely to English verbs, the noun can be formed on the spot wherever a speaker needs one.

Synonyms: supporter, sponsor, benefactor