Legal Definitions - patronage

Patronage refers to the act of giving support, sponsorship, or protection to someone or something. It can also refer to all the customers of a business or the power to appoint people to governmental positions or to confer other political favors.

For example, a wealthy individual may provide patronage to an artist by commissioning a painting or funding an exhibition. In business, a company's patronage is its customer base. In politics, patronage can refer to the practice of awarding government jobs to supporters and friends of the victorious political party.

These examples illustrate how patronage involves providing support or favor to someone or something. It can be used in various contexts, from the arts to business to politics.