mecenate
patron, sponsor
noun meh-cheh-NAH-teh Rare
Origin: From Gaius Maecenas, Roman patron of the arts under Augustus
Usage Note
Mecenate refers to a wealthy patron who supports artists or cultural endeavours — the word comes directly from the Roman statesman Maecenas. Unlike sponsor, which is a neutral commercial term, mecenate carries a sense of generous, disinterested cultural patronage. The abstract noun mecenatismo means patronage of the arts.
Examples
"Il ricco mecenate finanziava giovani pittori."
Natural Translation
The wealthy patron financed young painters.
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