mate1

 
Pronunciation: /meɪt/

noun

  • 1the sexual partner of a bird or other animal: a male bird sings to court a mate
  • informal a person’s husband, wife, or other sexual partner: he couldn’t satisfy his frisky young mate
  • informal one of a matched pair: a sock without its mate
  • 2 [in combination] a fellow member or joint occupant of a specified thing: his table-mates
  • 3British informal a friend or companion: my best mate Steve
  • used as a friendly form of address between men or boys: ‘See you then, mate.’
  • 4chiefly British an assistant or deputy in certain trades: a plumber’s mate
  • an officer on a merchant ship subordinate to the master. See also first mate.

verb

  • 1 [no object] (of animals or birds) come together for breeding; copulate: successful males may mate with many females (as noun mating) ovulation occurs only if mating has taken place
  • [with object] bring (animals) together for breeding: a male is mated to several females
  • 2connect or be connected mechanically: [with object]: a four-cylinder engine mated to a five-speed gearbox

Derivatives

mateless

adjective

Origin:

late Middle English: from Middle Low German māt(e) 'comrade', of West Germanic origin; related to meat (the underlying concept being that of eating together)