padrone

noun

pa·​dro·​ne pə-ˈdrō-nē How to pronounce padrone (audio)
plural padrones or padroni pə-ˈdrō-nē How to pronounce padrone (audio)
1
a
: master
b
: an Italian innkeeper
2
: a person who secures employment especially for Italian immigrants

Examples of padrone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Instead, much of this awkward English-language period piece focuses on peasants’ struggle to overthrow padrone control just after the First World War. Dennis Harvey, Variety, 2 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'padrone.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Italian, protector, owner, from Latin patronus patron

First Known Use

1670, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of padrone was in 1670

Dictionary Entries Near padrone

Cite this Entry

“Padrone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/padrone. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

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