Standard Lemma guide

godchild

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • General-American: /ˈɡɑdˌt͡ʃaɪld/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈɡɒdˌt͡ʃaɪld/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent. In some cases the relationship is maintained indefinitely, with the godchild being treated much like a niece or nephew.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Mary stood as godmother for little Emily, her godchild.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

an infant who is sponsored by an adult (the godparent) at baptism

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: baby, babe, infant

Narrower terms: goddaughter, godson

History

Etymology

From god- + child.

Across languages

Translations

48 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Albanian: famull — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Albanian: fijan — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Armenian: սան (san) — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Armenian: սանիկ (sanik) — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Central Bikol: pinangaki — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Bulgarian: кръщелник (krǎštelnik) — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Chinese Mandarin: 教子 (jiàozǐ) — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Danish: gudbarn — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Dutch: petekind — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Esperanto: baptogefilo — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Estonian: ristilaps — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Finnish: kummilapsi — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Galician: afillado — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Galician: afillada — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Georgian: ნათლული (natluli) — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • German: Patenkind — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Greek: βαφτισιμιός (vaftisimiós) — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Greek: αναδεκτός (anadektós) — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Greek: αναδεξιμιός (anadeximiós) — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Hungarian: keresztgyerek — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Hungarian: keresztgyermek — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Ido: baptofilio — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Indonesian: anak baptis — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Ingrian: ristilaps — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Latvian: krustbērns — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Macedonian: крштеник (krštenik) — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Macedonian: кумче (kumče) — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Polish: chrześniak — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Polish: chrześniaczka — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Polish: chrześnica — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Portuguese: afilhado — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Portuguese: afilhada — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Romansh: figliol — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Romansh: figlioul — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Russian: кре́стник (kréstnik) — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Russian: кре́стница (kréstnica) — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Serbo-Croatian: kumče — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Slovak: krstňa — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Spanish: ahijado — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Spanish: ahijada — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Swedish: gudbarn — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Tagalog: inaanak — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Volapük: spönäb — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Volapük: hispönäb — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Volapük: jispönäb — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Volapük: spönacil — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Volapük: spönahicil — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
  • Volapük: spönajicil — a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent