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donor

noun
do·​nor | \ ˈdō-nər How to pronounce donor (audio) , -ˌnȯr\

Definition of donor

1 : one that gives, donates, or presents something
2 : one used as a source of biological material (such as blood or an organ)
3a : 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
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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

 In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the donor's choice of charity. — courant.com, "Carlotta Joy Rutty," 10 Sep. 2019 Three months later, Schroeder sent a letter to the donor’s family that was delivered by the transplant coordinator. — Mark Gonzales, chicagotribune.com, "Cubs and Brewers will share first-pitch ceremony to honor heart transplant donor and recipient," 7 Sep. 2019 Because Yaramati had experienced menopause, a donor's egg was fertilized with Rajarao's sperm before it was implanted in the new mother, doctors told the Hindustan Times. — The Washington Post, oregonlive, "Mom is 74 and dad 82, and she just gave birth to twins," 6 Sep. 2019 Donations poured in, and within 10 minutes, the appeal grossed $107,000, thanks in part to an anonymous donor's $35,000 contribution. — Amber Elliott, Houston Chronicle, "Fantasy Football Draft Night at NRG Stadium raises $375,000 for abused and neglected Houston youth," 5 Sep. 2019 And for those looking to give back, the LifeMobile provides a quick and easy way to support fellow Alaskans by taking a moment to be a blood donor. — Anchorage Daily News, "The journey toward a healthier you starts at HealthU," 5 Sep. 2019 Ten candidates — including Yang — met the polling and donor thresholds necessary to participate Sept. 12. — Daily Pilot, "Political Landscape: Four Democratic presidential candidates to share stage during Costa Mesa forum," 4 Sep. 2019 There have been more than 3,200 donors for the campaign. — ExpressNews.com, "Booming West Texas oil patch shaken by shooting spree as death toll rises to 8," 1 Sep. 2019 Nobody, by contrast, met the polling threshold without meeting the donor threshold. — Maggie Astor, BostonGlobe.com, "The September Democratic debate will be one night only," 29 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'donor.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of donor

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for donor

Middle English donoure, from Anglo-French doneur, from Latin donator, from donare

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More Definitions for donor

donor

noun
How to pronounce donor (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of donor

: a person or group that gives something (such as money, food, or clothes) in order to help a person or organization
: a person who gives something (such as blood or a body organ) so that it can be given to someone who needs it

See the full definition for donor in the English Language Learners Dictionary

donor

noun
do·​nor | \ ˈdō-nər How to pronounce donor (audio) \

Kids Definition of donor

: a person who donates

donor

noun
do·​nor | \ ˈdō-nər How to pronounce donor (audio) , -ˌnȯ(ə)r How to pronounce donor (audio) \

Medical Definition of donor

1 : one used as a source of biological material (as blood or an organ)
2 : a compound capable of giving up a part (as an atom, chemical group, or elementary particle) for combination with an acceptor

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donor

noun
do·​nor | \ ˈdō-nər, -ˌnȯr How to pronounce donor (audio) \

Legal Definition of donor

: one that gives, donates, grants, or confers something specifically : settlor

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More from Merriam-Webster on donor

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with donor

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for donor

Spanish Central: Translation of donor

Nglish: Translation of donor for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of donor for Arabic Speakers

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