'donee' originates from English formation combining the verb 'do' and the French-derived suffix '-ee', where 'do' meant 'to perform/act' and '-ee' marked 'one who receives the action'.

'donee' changed from the Middle English verb 'do' (Middle English 'don', from Old English) combined with the Anglo-French/Middle French suffix '-é'/'-ee', and eventually became the modern English legal noun 'donee'.

Initially it meant 'one to whom something is done' in a general sense; over time it narrowed to mean specifically 'a person or organization that receives a gift, donation, or legal transfer'.