What does patron mean?
Word: Patron
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Patron means a person who gives money or help to support an artist, a charity, a club or a museum. A patron can also be a regular customer of a shop or cafe.
Synonyms: supporter, sponsor
How do you spell patron?
Syllables: pa - tron
Tricky part: The last part is said quickly and softly, almost like trun, so children write patren or patrun. It is spelt ron.
Watch out for: patren, patrun
Memory tip: Patron ends just like apron: both finish with ron, even though you hardly hear the o.
Patron in a sentence
Example 1: Our town's theatre has a famous singer as its patron.
Example 2: Ms Okafor is a patron of the city zoo and helps pay for the animals' care.
Example 3: Mr Mehta's bookshop gave each patron a free bookmark this week.
Fun Fact
Patron comes from the Latin word patronus, meaning a protector, which is linked to pater, the Latin word for father.
Practise the CREST Way
Spellacadabra
From which option does a letter need to be removed to make a meaningful word?
a) carrot
b) basket
c) pattron
d) ribbon
Show answer
c) pattron. Take out one t and you have patron, a supporter of a club or charity; ribbon, basket and carrot need no change.
Sound Check
Which of the following words does not have the 'a' sound of patron?
a) table
b) planet
c) paper
d) baker
Show answer
b) planet. Planet has the short a of cat; table, paper and baker say the a like its name, as patron does.
Spell Spies
Choose the pair which has a spelling error:
a) visitor : visiters
b) author : authors
c) patron : patrons
d) artist : artists
Show answer
a) visitor : visiters. Visitor keeps its o in the plural: visitors.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which person is acting as a patron of the museum?
a) a builder who mended the roof last year
b) a guide who shows visitors round the halls
c) a cleaner who mops the floors at night
d) a painter who pays for its new rooms
Show answer
d) a painter who pays for its new rooms
2. Why might a charity be pleased to find a new patron?
a) it will be given a new name
b) it will have to move to a new town
c) it can do more of its good work
d) it will need to close for a week
Show answer
c) it can do more of its good work
