— godfatherly , adj.
/god"fah'dheuhr/ , n.
1. a man who serves as sponsor for a child at baptism.
2. any male sponsor or guardian.
3. ( often cap. ) a powerful leader, esp. of the Mafia.
4. a person who is regarded as the originator or principal shaper of a movement, school of thought, art form, industry, or the like: the godfather of abstract expressionism.
v.t.
5. to act as godfather to; be sponsor or protector for.
[ bef. 1000; ME godfader, OE godfaeder. See GOD, FATHER ]