bestower

A bestower is a person who gives or confers something to another, especially a gift, blessing, title, or favor. The term is a noun formed from the verb bestow, meaning to grant or present something to someone. While the word is perfectly ordinary, it is somewhat formal or literary and is more common in ceremonial, religious, or rhetorical contexts than in everyday speech.

The etymology traces to the verb bestow, with origins in Old English be-stōwan or be-stowan, reflecting the sense of placing or conferring something. The noun form follows standard English agent-noun formation, adding -er to indicate a performer of the action.

In religious or ceremonial language, a bestower is used to refer to one who grants blessings or gifts, often as a divine attribute or honorific. In secular prose, the term appears in phrases such as "the bestower of gifts" or "the bestower of titles." The word emphasizes the agency and deliberate choice involved in giving.

In literature, the word can lend a formal tone to descriptions of a patron, benefactor, or deity who distributes resources or privileges. It is also encountered in poetry and biblical or pseudo-biblical language.

Related terms include giver, donor, benefactor, and grantor.