A protector or patron, especially one who takes on a paternal role toward others.
From Latin em- (in, into) + patron (father figure, protector). The prefix em- intensifies the meaning of patron, creating a sense of being a strong protective force.
This word vanished from English by the 1700s, but it reveals how our ancestors used the em- prefix to strengthen meanings—something we rarely do now. Modern English would just say 'patron' and let context do the work.
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