ˈdōnə(r) also ˈdōˌnȯ(ə)r or ˈdōˌnȯ(ə) sometimes ˈdänə(r) or dōˈnȯ- noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle French doneur, from Latin donator — more at donator
1. : one that gives, donates, or presents
a donor of funds to research foundations
a list of paintings and the donors
a. : one that confers a power for execution — opposed to donee
b. : one used as a source of biological material
a donor of blood for transfusion
a donor of a chromosome complex to a hybrid
a donor of a tissue for transplantation
2. chemistry : a substance capable of giving up part of itself (as an atom, radical, or elementary particle) for combination with another substance
water may act as a hydrogen donor
adenosine triphosphate is a phosphate donor
an amine with its unshared electrons is an electron donor
— compare acceptor 3
3. : an impurity that yields a limited supply of mobile electrons that contribute to the conductivity of a semiconducting material — compare acceptor 4c