mate
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /meɪt/
ipa: [meɪt]
ipa: [mɛjt]
ipa: [meːt]
ipa: [mæɪt]
rhymes: -eɪt
Forms: form: mates
Etymology: From Middle English mate, a borrowing from Middle Low German mate (“messmate”) (replacing Middle English mette (“table companion, mate, partner”), from Old English ġemetta (“sharer of food, table-guest”)), derived from Proto-Germanic *gamatjô, itself from *ga- (“together”) (related to German and Dutch ge-) + *matjô (from *matiz (“food”)), related to Old English mete (“food”)). From the same Middle Low German source stems German Low German Maat (“journeyman, companion”), German Maat (“naval non-commissioned officer”). Cognates include Saterland Frisian Moat (“friend, buddy, comrade, mate”), Dutch maat (“mate, partner, colleague, friend”). More at Old English ġe-, English co-, English meat. Doublet of maat.
Compare typologically Latin compāniō (whence companion) (< con- + panis + -ō), Russian однока́шник (odnokášnik) (< одно- (odno-) + ка́ша (káša) + -ник (-nik)).
Senses: examples: text: A "mate" was a "mate" - share and share alike, no matter how bad might be the times, or how long a spell of ill luck had attended them.
ref: 1887, Harriet W. Daly, Digging, Squatting, and Pioneering Life in the Northern Territory of South Australia, page 152:
synonyms: word: fellow
word: fere
glosses: A fellow, comrade, colleague, partner or someone with whom something is shared, e.g. shipmate, classmate.
examples: text: Such overt displays of avowed sexual prowess – or at least, desperate availability – are not limited to the countryside. Even in the city, birds and animals and stockbrokers and nurses find ways of signalling their suitability as a mate.
ref: 2015 April 16, Richard P. Grant, “Sex and the successful fundraiser”, in The Guardian:
glosses: A breeding partner.
raw_tags: of a non-human animal
examples: text: I'm going to the pub with a few mates.
text: He's my best mate.
synonyms: word: friend
word: buddy
word: babber
word: billy
word: bredrin
word: bruv
word: bud
word: buddo
word: buddy
word: butty
word: chaver
word: china
word: chuck
word: chum
word: cock
word: cocker
word: cobber
word: compadre
word: comrade
word: companion
word: cove
word: crony
word: dawg
word: dude
word: duck
word: fam
word: fettler
word: friend
word: geez
word: geezer
word: gink
word: good old boy
word: homeskillet
word: homie
word: kith
word: lover
word: marrow
word: mate
word: matey
word: mucker
word: old bean
word: pal
word: pardner
word: peeps
word: shag
word: sport
word: surry
word: tovarish
word: wantok
qualifier: sometimes elsewhere in the Commonwealth
glosses: A friend, usually of the same sex.
examples: text: Excuse me, mate, have you got the time?
synonyms: buddy
qualifier: sometimes elsewhere in the Commonwealth
glosses: Friendly term of address to a stranger, usually male, of similar age.
topics: nautical
transport
glosses: In naval ranks, a non-commissioned officer or his subordinate (e.g. Boatswain's Mate, Gunner's Mate, Sailmaker's Mate, etc).
topics: nautical
transport
glosses: A ship's officer, subordinate to the master on a commercial ship.
topics: nautical
transport
glosses: A first mate.
glosses: A technical assistant in certain trades (e.g. gasfitter's mate, plumber's mate); sometimes an apprentice.
examples: text: I found one of the socks I wanted to wear, but I couldn't find its mate.
glosses: The other member of a matched pair of objects.
examples: text: Ye knew me once no mate / For you; there sitting where you durst not soar.
ref: 1667, John Milton, “Book IV”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
glosses: A suitable companion; a match; an equal.
Hyponyms: aerographer's mate
bandmate
batchmate
battery mate
bedmate
birthmate
blockmate
boat mate
boatswain's mate
bookmate
boothmate
brinkmate
bunkermate
bunkmate
cagemate
campmate
carmate
cavemate
cellmate
chairmate
chambermate
chatmate
checkmate
chief mate
choirmate
churchmate
clan mate
classmate
Claymate
clonemate
clutchmate
copemate
copesmate
coursemate
cradlemate
crashmate
crèchemate
crewmate
cribmate
cubemate
draftmate
dreammate
first mate
flatmate
fleetmate
floormate
fuckmate
gangmate
gaolmate
guildmate
hallmate
housemate
jailmate
jobmate
kennelmate
labmate
library mate
linemate
littermate
loftmate
Lolli's mate
lovemate
lunchmate
messmate
mismate
nestmate
office mate
old mate
pewmate
platoonmate
playmate
premate
prisonmate
raftmate
reflexmate
roommate
roostmate
ropemate
rowmate
running mate
schoolmate
seatmate
selfmate
sharemate
sheltermate
shiftmate
shipmate
sitemate
skainsmate
soulmate
squadmate
squadronmate
stablemate
stalemate
steersmate
studiomate
suitemate
taskmate
teammate
tentmate
threatmate
tombmate
tourmate
townmate
trencher mate
tribemate
tripmate
wardmate
warmate
watchmate
wingmate
wombmate
workmate
yokemate
Derived terms: amate
Billy no mates
breakfast-mate
checkmate
farm-mate
inmate
intermate
Johnny no mates
mateable
matehood
mateless
mateship
matess
matey
Nigel no mates
nonmate
Norman no mates
outmate
plane-mate
remate
train-mate
undermate
unmate