mate

noun
UK: /meɪt/
US: /meɪt/

  1. A friend or companion.

    1. He is my mate from school. [ ] [ ]
    2. We've been mates since we were kids, always there for each other through thick and thin. [ ] [ ]

  2. One of a pair; a matching item.

    1. I can't find the mate to this sock. [ ] [ ]
    2. After searching everywhere, she finally found the mate to the earring she lost. [ ] [ ]

  3. The officer on a ship who is second in command to the captain.

    1. The mate gave the order to hoist the sails. [ ] [ ]
    2. As first mate, his duties included overseeing the ship's navigation and cargo management. [ ] [ ]

  4. (Australia, New Zealand, informal) Used as a friendly form of address.

    1. G'day, mate! How are you? [ ] [ ]
    2. Hey mate, could you give me a hand with this heavy box? I'd really appreciate it. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

partner pal friend companion comrade colleague buddy
mate verb

  1. To bring two animals together to breed; to copulate.

    1. The farmer will mate the cows. [ ] [ ]
    2. The zookeepers carefully planned how to mate the endangered species to increase their numbers. [ ] [ ]

  2. To fit objects together closely.

    1. The two pieces must mate perfectly. [ ] [ ]
    2. The carpenter ensured that the joints mated seamlessly, creating a strong and durable structure. [ ] [ ]
mate intransitive-verb

  1. To associate together; to be together as companions or mates.

    1. Birds mate for life, usually. [ ] [ ]
    2. Some species of sea turtles mate in specific locations, traveling long distances to reach their breeding grounds. [ ] [ ]
mate transitive-verb

  1. To associate with; to be a companion or mate.

    1. I often mate with friends. [ ] [ ]
    2. People should mate with people of their kind in terms of values. [ ] [ ]
mate interjection

  1. (informal, chiefly British) Used to express surprise, anger, or other emotions.

    1. Mate, that was close! [ ] [ ]
    2. Mate, are you serious? I can't believe you did that after I warned you. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "mate" in English means: A friend or companion., One of a pair; a matching item., The officer on a ship who is second in command to the captain., (Australia, New Zealand, informal) Used as a friendly form of address..

The phonetic transcription of "mate" is /meɪt/ in British English and /meɪt/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "mate": partner, pal, friend, companion, comrade, colleague, buddy.

Example usage of "mate": "He is my mate from school.". More examples on the page.