donor English · revision 15087

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1439|origins=la dōnum}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈdəʊ.nə/, US /ˈdoʊ.nɚ/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|donour]], [[bor|xno|donour]] and [[fro|doneur]] (modern [[fr|donneur]]),^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(NODE 1998) from [[la|dōnātor|t=giver]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) an agent noun from [[m|la|dōnō|t=to give as a gift]] (see [[donation]]), from [[m|la|dōnum|t=gift]],^(Etymonline) from [[ine-pro|*do-|t=to give]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ One who gives or makes a grant: about 1439 in Barnhart, the mid-15th century in Etymonline, 1494 in the OED, especially in law.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A person from whom blood is taken for transfusion is a donor by 1875 in Etymonline, 1910 in the OED.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) Donors of organs and tissues for transplanting, living or dead, are recorded by 1918, at first of guinea pigs.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) In artificial insemination it is from 1947,^(OED 1989) and the ''donor card'', at first American, from 1964.^(OED 1989) In physics a donor is an impurity atom in a semiconductor (1927).^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1439 – a giver.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1875 – a blood donor.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1918 – an organ donor.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1927 – a donor atom (semiconductor).^(OED 1989)

+ * 1964 – donor card.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A person who gives something, such as money, to a cause or fund.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A person from whom blood, tissue or an organ is taken for [[transfusion]] or [[transplant]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(law)'' A person who makes a gift of property.^(Collins 2023)^(OED 1989)

+ # ''(chemistry)'' The atom that supplies both electrons in a coordinate bond.^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(electronics)'' An impurity added to a [[semiconductor]] to increase the number of free electrons.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[donorship]]

+ * [[donator]]

+ * [[donor card]]

+ * [[universal donor]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[donee]]

+ * [[donate]]

+ * [[donation]]

+ * [[dose]]

+ * [[date]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}