Patronus
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Forms: form: Patronuses
form: patronus
Etymology: From Latin patrōnus (“protector”). A reference to J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series; the term first appears in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (1999). Doublet of padrone, patron, patroon, and pattern.
Senses: examples: text: Black women are my patronus, and surrounding myself with villages of black women has been my biggest form of self-care.
ref: 2017, Luvvie Ajayi, “Know Your Worth”, in Beverly Bond, editor, Black Girls Rock!: Owning Our Magic. Rocking Our Truth., 37 INK/Atria Books, →ISBN, page 64, column 2:
text: The day after the last episode of Totally Biased aired in November 2013, I found out that the head of MSNBC was interested in meeting with me. Rachel Maddow, who I consider my Patronus, had set it up.
ref: 2017, W. Kamau Bell, “My Awkward Joking Around with the KKK”, in The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell: Tales of a 6' 4", African American, Heterosexual, Cisgender, Left-Leaning, Asthmatic, Black and Proud Blerd, Mama’s Boy, Dad, and Stand-Up Comedian, Dutton, →ISBN:
text: For my dear, dear #Witchlanders, you are my patronus. Real talk here: you are my guardians against the darkness. You’re the reason I keep writing every day, the reason I didn’t give up even when this book almost killed me, the reason I want to tell this story at all.
ref: 2017, Susan Dennard, “Acknowledgments”, in Windwitch, Tor, published 2018, →ISBN:
text: That’s what I love about her: she confronts her fears. She’s my Patronus.
ref: 2019, Rafi Mittlefehldt, chapter IX, in What Makes Us, Candlewick Press, →ISBN, page 132:
text: My Patronus Agent Gemini Twin, Barbara Poelle: For never giving up on me.
ref: 2019, James Brandon, “Acknowledgments”, in Ziggy, Stardust and Me, G. P. Putnam’s Sons, published 2022:
text: She’s my patronus. When I can’t deal with real life, I escape into her virtual space, where everything is perfectly lit, perfectly coifed, and perfectly accompanied by neo-soul music I never hear anywhere but natural hair videos and the beauty supply shop.
ref: 2020, Bethany C. Morrow, A Song Below Water, Tor Teen, published 2021, →ISBN:
text: Then Quinn, my friend, my confidant, my Patronus, outstretches the microphone and drops it onto his chest.
ref: 2020, Ashley Poston, Bookish and the Beast (Once Upon a Con), Quirk Books, →ISBN, page 242:
text: ‘Avinash when and how are you… Oh, sorry I will come back later.’ Seriously, Gautham? You couldn’t have come like, five minutes ago when this drama queen was on a roll? Suddenly feeling okay, I backed out of his arms and looked in the direction of my Patronus. ‘Oh, no it’s fine Gautham! Shwetha and I were just talking.’
ref: 2020, Lavnya Krishnamurthy, I Prescribe Love, Inkstate Books, →ISBN:
text: The screen came alive with a little ‘Hi’ / I knew you were my patronus
ref: 2021, VeeKay, Runa: Fleeting Thoughts Collected, →ISBN:
text: We rode all the way to the lake, and because Billy was my Patronus, he rode straight past the picnic benches and into the hidden glade only locals knew about.
ref: 2021, Garrett Leigh, Unforgotten, Carina Press, →ISBN:
text: Since then, Jimmie joined my relay team, and the rest is history. I’m convinced he’s my patronus. I need his fire, jokes and brotherly love to get across Death Valley.
ref: 2021 November 26, Kelaine Conochan, “Badwater ultramarathon: What I lost and found during 135 miles of the world's most impossible run”, in ESPN, archived from the original on 26 Nov 2021; published in J.A. Adande, editor, The Year’s Best Sports Writing 2022, Triumph Books, 2022, →ISBN:
glosses: A person considered one’s protector.
examples: text: When I’ve got something good between my teeth, I shake it until it gives in. My Patronus is a terrier. It’s like I can see the glinting prize at the end of the race, far in the distance.
ref: 2016, Lila Monroe, Head Over High Heels:
text: Rocking jeans and a sinfully tight black T-shirt with a cartoon of a cute sea cow that said “My Patronus Is a Manatee,” Landon walked the few steps to the truck.
ref: 2019, Lucy Lakestone, Bohemia Chills, Velvet Petal Press, →ISBN:
text: “Do you like Chinese food?” “Love it. Peking duck is my Patronus. I didn’t realize there was a Chinese restaurant in town, however.”
ref: 2020, Laura Jensen Walker, Murder Most Sweet: A Bookish Baker Mystery, Crooked Lane Books, →ISBN:
text: I am 16 years old. My patronus is a unicorn and I literally talk to moon and love the croissant crescent. I love to talk about fireflies, stars and books.
ref: 2020, Sanchi, “Sanchi”, in Krittika Pahwa, compiler, The Edge of Seventeen, The Little Booktique Hub, →ISBN, page 44:
text: I’d purposely go slowly rather than rushing through it since the speed of my body often affects the speed of my brain.* […] * I’m pretty sure my Patronus is a feral cat.
ref: 2020, Kendra Adachi, “Build the Right Routines”, in The Lazy Genius Way: Embrace What Matters, Ditch What Doesn’t, and Get Stuff Done, WaterBrook, →ISBN, page 83:
text: I look at the trees and think, Yes, I do like trees the way Nuah described me to Khadija. They’ve been around for millions of years, seen tons of crap, and still stand strong and graceful, sure of their worth to the world. “Fighting makes you smile, huh?” Layth says, interrupting my trees-are-my-Patronus aha moment.
ref: 2021, S. K. Ali, Misfit in Love, Salaam Reads, →ISBN, pages 120–121:
text: She was dressed in cropped jeans and a pastel pink T-shirt that read, “A Bookworm is my Patronus.”
ref: 2021, Jennie Marts, Rescuing Harmony Ranch, Hallmark Publishing, →ISBN:
text: Three words sum up all things I love deeply – Books, Places, Food. And ‘Chai’ is my Patronus.
ref: 2021, Shraddha Jha, “Shraddha Jha”, in Mathumitha. R, Subliminal Stitches, Verses Kindler Publication, →ISBN, page 98:
text: She wore khaki shorts, scuffed hiking boots, and a lavender T-shirt with an open book on the front that read My patronus is a bookworm.
ref: 2021, Jennie Marts, When a Cowboy Loves a Woman, Sourcebooks Casablanca, →ISBN:
text: Falling for you / Did me good / I swear it did // You changed my attitude / My patronus / And my life // You changed me [an illustration of a Patronus-like dog]
ref: 2022, Alena Rehse, “You Changed Me”, in Turtles & Paperclips: My Thoughts On You, BoD – Books on Demand, →ISBN, section IV (Saving), page 59:
glosses: Something associated with a person, usually an animal.