patronesses
Women who support
Patronesses is the plural of patroness, a female patron—one who provides financial support, protection, or sponsorship to a person, cause, or institution.
The term appears in historical and formal contexts: The patronesses of the charity ball reviewed the guest list.
Like many feminine-suffix words, patroness has fallen from favor as patron increasingly covers all genders.
Women who give assistance
- philanthropistsGenerous supporters of good causes
- donorsPeople who give gifts
- contributorsThose who give help
- backersFinancial supporters
sponsors · underwriters · financiers · angels · investors · grantors · subscribers · guarantors
Contest winners, top performers
- advocatesThose who support causes
- supportersPeople who back something
- promotersThose who advance causes
- defendersThose who shield others
protectors · guardians · allies · friends · helpers · upholders · sympathizers · enthusiasts
benefactresses
Women who give assistance
- philanthropistsGenerous supporters of good causes
- donorsPeople who give gifts
- contributorsThose who give help
backers · sponsors · underwriters · financiers · angels · investors · grantors · subscribers · guarantors · funders
champions
Contest winners, top performers
- advocatesThose who support causes
- supportersPeople who back something
- promotersThose who advance causes
defenders · protectors · guardians · allies · friends · helpers · upholders · sympathizers · enthusiasts · votaries
- Regency eraseason, Prince Regent, Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, Emma
- historical womenCleopatra, Joan of Arc, Queen Elizabeth I, Queen Victoria, Marie Curie
- backerssupporters, backers, sponsors, funders, donors
- women in literaturefemale protagonists, female authors, women writers, feminist literature, female voices
- Arabic Lettersshin, dal, ta, lam, dhal
patronessesbeneficiaries
Those who receive advantages
recipients · protégées · dependents · wards · grantees