pə.ˈtrün noun
( -s )
Etymology: in sense 1, from French patron & Spanish patrón, literally, master, from Medieval Latin patronus; in sense 2, from Dutch, from French patron patron, master — more at patron
1. archaic : the captain or officer commanding a ship
2. : the proprietor of one of the tracts of land with manorial privileges granted to members of the Dutch West India Company under the old Dutch governments of New York and New Jersey