# patron

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈpeɪ.tɹən/ · frequency rank #10,744

## Definitions
1. One who protects or supports; a defender or advocate.
2. One who protects or supports; a defender or advocate.
3. An influential, wealthy person who supported an artist, craftsman, a scholar or a noble.
4. A customer, as of a certain store or restaurant.
5. A protector of a dependent, especially a master who had freed a slave but still retained some paternal rights.
6. One who has gift and disposition of a benefice.
7. A padrone.
8. A property owner, a landlord, a master. (Compare patroon.)

## Etymology
From Middle English patroun, patrone, from Old French patron, from Latin patrōnus, derived from pater (“father”). Doublet of padrone, Patronus, patroon, and pattern.

## Easily confused with
- **Python** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/patron-vs-python)
- **petrol** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/patron-vs-petrol)
- **Patton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/patron-vs-patton)
- **potion** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/patron-vs-potion)
- **Paxton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/patron-vs-paxton)
- **Payton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/patron-vs-payton)
- **patten** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/patron-vs-patten)
- **Petrov** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/patron-vs-petrov)
- **platoon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/patron-vs-platoon)
- **patio** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/patio-vs-patron)
- **Paton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/paton-vs-patron)
- **patrol** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/patrol-vs-patron)
- **pardon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pardon-vs-patron)
- **parrot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/parrot-vs-patron)
- **parton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/parton-vs-patron)
- **pathos** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pathos-vs-patron)
- **parson** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/parson-vs-patron)
- **patriot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/patriot-vs-patron)
- **patrols** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/patrols-vs-patron)
- **Paterson** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/paterson-vs-patron)

## Common misspellings (8)
`aptron`, `patorn`, `patrno`, `patronn`, `patrron`, `pattron`, `ppatron`, `ptaron`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/patron