godfather
godfather — noun
1. a man who promises at a Christian baptism ceremony to support a child's religiou
a man who promises at a Christian baptism ceremony to support a child's religious and moral development throughout the child's life
Adisa became his niece's godfather at her baptism and promised to guide her spiritual growth.
godfather + of [child] for baptismal role
At the baptism ceremony, Lukas stood beside the priest as the baby's godfather.
Layla asked her brother Matthew to serve as godfather for Renata at their local church.
At the small church ceremony, Mateo held his infant nephew and promised to guide the child's faith.
When Mayumi's son was baptised, his godfather gave him a small silver cross.
用法筆記
In Christian traditions, the godfather is chosen by the parents and often remains close to the child as a mentor and family friend beyond the baptism ceremony itself.
常見錯誤
2. the most senior leader of an illegal syndicate, particularly within Italian-Amer
the most senior leader of an illegal syndicate, particularly within Italian-American or Sicilian organized crime, who directs unlawful operations and maintains authority through fear and personal loyalty
A crime film follows a powerful godfather who controls all illegal gambling in New York.
godfather + controls crime in [city/area]
A Sicilian godfather gathered his top men to plan the expansion of their drug-smuggling routes.
In the film, an ageing godfather decides each man's fate while sitting in his study.
The police finally arrested the godfather after years of secret investigations into his network.
From his private office, the godfather ordered his men to attack a rival gang's warehouse.
- don
Italian honorific used specifically for Mafia leaders; strongly tied to the Godfather films
- crime boss
more general, can refer to leaders of any criminal organization, not just the Mafia
- kingpin
emphasizes the central controlling role in illegal operations such as drug trafficking
用法筆記
Frequently used with a capital letter (the Godfather) when referring to the title character of Mario Puzo's novel or the film series. The word carries strong cultural associations with Italian-American organized crime and is sometimes used playfully for anyone who holds great power in a closed group.
常見錯誤
3. a highly respected person who creates, develops, or strongly influences a major
a highly respected person who creates, develops, or strongly influences a major movement, art form, organization, or field of activity, especially during its early stages
Adisa is often called the godfather of hip-hop for his pioneering work in the Bronx.
godfather + of [genre / field]
Many musicians call the Berlin producer the godfather of electronic music for his pioneering 1970s work.
Maeve O'Brien founded the first women's rights organization in her country, earning the title of godfather of the movement.
The biologist became known as the godfather of genetic engineering after splicing the first genes in 1973.
Critics call the veteran director the godfather of Taiwanese independent cinema for his 1980s works.
- father
more reverent and parental in tone; suggests the person nurtured the field over time
- pioneer
emphasizes being first and breaking new ground, without the informal admiration of 'godfather'
- founder
neutral and factual; simply means the person who established something
- originator
focuses on the act of creation rather than ongoing influence
用法筆記
Nearly always appears in the pattern 'godfather of + [field/movement].' Unlike 'founder,' it implies both pioneering status and continued admiration from within the community. The term is informal and admiring — it is not used for disliked or controversial figures even if they were first.