pander

1 of 2

verb

pan·​der ˈpan-dər 

pandered; pandering ˈpan-d(ə-)riŋ 

intransitive verb

: to act as a pander

especially : to provide gratification for others' desires

films that pander to the basest emotions

… used his brilliant gifts to pander to popular taste.

—Hubert Saal

panderer

ˈpan-dər-ər 

noun

pander

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: a go-between in love intrigues

b

: pimp

2

: someone who caters to or exploits the weaknesses of others

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Distinctive Meanings of Procure

Procure, like many other English words, has a split personality. On the one hand, it may carry a perfectly benign meaning, such as "to obtain" (“she procured supplies”) or "to bring about" (“the settlement was successfully procured”). On the other hand, it has long been used in the specific sense of obtaining someone for, or bringing about, sexually promiscuous purposes. In this regard it is similar to the word pander, which entered the English language with the innocent meaning “a go-between in love intrigues” (the word comes from the name Pandare, a character in Chaucer’s poem Troilus and Criseyde who facilitates the affair between the titular characters), and soon after took on the meaning “pimp.”

Synonyms

Noun

• cadet [slang]
• fancy man
• pimp
• procurer

Examples of pander in a Sentence

Noun

an arrest record that revealed that he had variously been a pander, a pickpocket, and a drug dealer

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

By pandering to the right, Macron hopes his government can safeguard his legacy after the left pledged to repeal some of his key policies, such as controversial pension reforms. —Saskya Vandoorne, CNN, 24 Sep. 2024

Entries include the belief that concessions on energy and arms control would pacify Vladimir Putin; pandering to the United Nations and the Palestinian Authority and Iran; and calling for cuts to defense spending as global risks multiplied. —Matthew Continetti, National Review, 21 Sep. 2024

Noun

The Substance devolves into a senseless jumble of body horror that panders to its audience rather than challenging it. —Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 20 Sep. 2024

Smartest, fastest Responding to the plan Biden laid out in an op-ed, Ramesh Ponnuru writes that term limits for Supreme Court justices are an unconstitutional pander. —Drew Goins, Washington Post, 30 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

derivative of pander entry 2

Noun

Middle English Pandare pandarus

First Known Use

Verb

1523, in the meaning defined above

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

pander

noun

pan·​der

ˈpan-dər

variants or panderer

-dər-ər

: one who takes advantage of or profits from the weaknesses and mean desires of others

pander verb

Legal Definition

pander

1 of 2 transitive verb

pan·​der ˈpan-dər 

: to sell or distribute by pandering

had no protected right to pander prurient materials

—Dunigan Enterprises v. DA for the Northern District, 415 N.E.2d 251 (1981)

intransitive verb

: to engage in pandering

counts included…conspiracy to pander and receive the earnings of a prostitute

—State v. Tocco, 750 P.2d 874 (1988)

pander

2 of 2 noun

: one who engages in pandering : panderer

Etymology

Noun

Middle English Pandare, character who procured for Troilus the love of Cressida in Troilus and Creseyde, poem by Geoffrey Chaucer (ca. 1342–1400)