Word: Mate

Pronunciation

/meɪt/

Definitions

• Noun: (n) A close friend or companion. For example: “They’ve been mates since childhood.”
• Noun: (n) (British, Australian, New Zealand) An informal term for friend or buddy, often used in greeting. For instance: “Alright, mate?”
• Noun: (n) (Maritime) The person assigned to share a living space or work together on a ship. Example: “The captain chose his mate carefully for the long voyage.”
• Noun: (n) (Biology) An animal that pairs with another for breeding purposes. Example: “The male bird selects a mate during mating season.”
• Verb: (v) (Obsolete or dialectal) To match or pair, especially in marriage. Example: “In the old tale, the princess was mated with a prince from a neighboring kingdom.”
• Verb: (v) (Informal) To consume something, usually tea, coffee, or food, with another person. Example: “Let’s mate some fish and chips while we chat.”

Phrases

• “Old mate”: A friendly way to refer to an acquaintance or friend, especially in Australia.
• “Mate in chess”: When one player’s king is under threat of capture and cannot escape, resulting in a win for the other player.
• “Find your soulmate”: To discover a perfect romantic partner who shares deep compatibility.

Example Sentences

• Noun (friend): “I’m going to the pub with a few mates tonight.”
• Noun (ship): “The first mate had responsibilities for managing the crew when the captain was off duty.”
• Verb (consume): “We sat down at the cafe to mate some coffee and cake.”

Synonyms

• Friend
• Buddy
• Pal
• Companion
• Associate
• Partner (in certain contexts)
• Cohort (less informal)
• Shipmate (in maritime context)