mate
[noun]
Synonyms:
- partner, husband or wife, spouse
- friend, buddy (informal), chum (informal), comrade, crony, pal (informal)
- colleague, associate, companion
- assistant, helper, subordinate
[verb]
Synonyms:
- pair, breed, couple

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Related Words: bedmate, classmate, co-mate, helpmate, playmate, roommate, schoolmate, teammate, match, parti, alter ego, complement, sosie, compeer, equal, equivalent, peer, breed, crossbreed, pair, generate, procreate

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English Thesaurus: friend, acquaintance, mate, buddy, pal, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. mate¹ S2 /meɪt/ noun
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Middle Low German; Origin: mat]

1. SOMEBODY YOU DO SOMETHING WITH [countable] someone you work with, do an activity with, or share something with
class/team/work etc mate
Dad’s office mates are throwing a party for him.
house/flat/room mate (=someone you share a house, room etc with)

2. FRIEND [countable] British English informal
a) a friend:
I’m going out with my mates tonight.
good/best mate
He’s good mates with John.
Most of my school mates are black.
b) used as a friendly way to address a man:
What’s the time, mate?

3. ANIMAL [countable] the sexual partner of an animal

4. HUSBAND/WIFE [countable] American English a husband or wife – used especially in magazines Synonym : partner:
How do women choose their mates?

5. SAILOR [countable] a ship’s officer who is one rank below the captain

6. NAVY OFFICER [countable] a US Navy petty officer

7. builder’s/plumber’s/electrician’s etc mate British English someone who works with and helps a skilled worker

8. GAME [uncountable] checkmate in the game of chess

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. mate² verb
[Sense 1-2: Date: 1500-1600; Origin: ⇒ mate¹]
[Sense 3: Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: mater, from mat 'checkmate', from Arabic]

1. [intransitive] if animals mate, they have sex to produce babies
mate with
It’s quite common for male birds to mate with several females.

2. [transitive] to put animals together so that they will have sex and produce babies:
Rabbits can be mated as early as six months old.

3. [transitive] to achieve the checkmate of your opponent in chess

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

mate
noun
I. friend
ADJ. best, good They've been good mates ever since they were at school together.
VERB + MATE have He's got loads of mates at school.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

mate
II. sexual partner
VERB + MATE attract, choose, find These birds have colourful feathers to attract a mate.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

friend someone who you know and like very much and enjoy spending time with:
Dad, this is my friend Steve.
She’s going to Palm Springs with some friends.
I got a letter from a friend from college.
Amy’s a close friend of mine.
John was a really good friend to me when I had all those problems last year.
acquaintance /əˈkweɪntəns/ someone who you know and see sometimes, but who is not one of your close friends:
We borrowed the money from one of Paul’s business acquaintances.
mate British English informal a friend – used especially about boys or men:
He always goes to the pub with his mates on Friday night.
Terry’s an old mate of mine.
buddy American English informal a friend – used especially about men or young people:
He’s out playing basketball with some of his high school buddies.
pal informal a friend – pal sounds rather old-fashioned:
They met at school and have remained close pals.
crony [usually plural] disapproving a friend – used about powerful people who will help each other even if it is slightly dishonest:
He’s one of the President’s cronies.
companion written someone who spends time with you, doing the same things as you – used about animals as well as people:
travelling companions
His dog was his constant companion.
the perfect companion
the girls informal a woman’s female friends:
We’re having a girls’ night out.
the lads British English informal a man’s male friends:
a night out with the lads

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲