— sponsorial /spon sawr"ee euhl, -sohr"-/ , adj. — sponsorship , n.
/spon"seuhr/ , n.
1. a person who vouches or is responsible for a person or thing.
2. a person, firm, organization, etc., that finances and buys the time to broadcast a radio or television program so as to advertise a product, a political party, etc.
3. a person who makes a pledge or promise on behalf of another.
4. a person who answers for an infant at baptism, making the required professions and assuming responsibility for the child's religious upbringing; godfather or godmother.
v.t.
5. to act as sponsor for; promise, vouch, or answer for.
[ 1645-55; sponsor guarantor, equiv. to spond ( ere ) to pledge + -tor -TOR, with dt > s ]
Syn. 1. patron, backer; guarantor. 2. advertiser. 5. guarantee, finance, back, underwrite.