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{{Other uses}}
{{distinguish|Donar (disambiguation){{!}}Donar|Doner (disambiguation){{!}}Doner}}
A '''donor''' in general is a person, organization or government which [[donation|donate]]s something voluntarily. The term is usually used to represent a form of pure [[altruism]], but is sometimes used when the payment for a service is recognized by all parties as representing less than the value of the donation and that the motivation is altruistic. In [[business law]] a ''donor'' is someone who is giving the [[gift (law)]], and a ''donee'' the person receiving the gift.

More broadly, the term is used to refer to any entity that serves as the source of something transferred to a different entity, including - in scientific fields - the source of matter or energy passed from one object to another.

The [[Online Etymology Dictionary]] traces the English-language word "donor" back to the mid-15th century, with origins in Anglo-French, Old French, Latin and Proto-Indo-European.<ref>{{OEtymD | donor}}</ref>

== In science==
Often the word is used as a shorter term for:<!-- New links in alphabetical order please -->
* [[Blood donation|Blood donor]]
* [[Donor (semiconductors)]]
* [[Egg donation|Egg donor]]
* [[Electron donor]] &mdash; (by analogy) a technical term in chemistry and [[semiconductor]] physics (see also the next entry)
* [[Organ donation|Organ donor]]
* [[Sperm donation|Sperm donor]]

== In society and international relations ==
* [[Benefactor (law)]]
* Donor government or donor organisation in [[official development assistance]]
* [[Grant (law)]]
* [[Patronage]]

== In art ==

*[[Donor portrait]] — portrait of the person who paid for a painting, typically in a church

== In literature ==
In [[fairy tale]]s, a [[Donor (fairy tale)|donor]] is a [[stock character]] that tests the hero (and sometimes other characters as well) and provides magical assistance to the hero when he succeeds.

== See also ==
* [[Sponsor (commercial)]]
* {{Wiktionary-inline}}

{{Set index article}}

==References==
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