mate
1a partner in marriage; spouse.
one member of a pair of mated animals.
one of a pair: I can't find the mate to this glove.
a counterpart.
an associate; fellow worker; comrade; partner (often used in combination): classmate; roommate.
friend; buddy; pal (often used as an informal term of address): Let me give you a hand with that, mate.
Nautical.
any of a number of officers of varying degrees of rank subordinate to the master of a merchant ship.
an assistant to a warrant officer or other functionary on a ship.
an aide or helper, as to an artisan; factotum.
a gear, rack, or worm engaging with another gear or worm.
Archaic. an equal in reputation; peer; match.
to join as a mate or as mates.
to bring (animals) together for breeding purposes.
to match or marry.
to join, fit, or associate suitably: to mate thought with daring action.
to connect or link: a telephone system mated to a computerized information service.
to treat as comparable.
to associate as a mate or as mates.
(of animals) to copulate.
(of animals) to pair for the purpose of breeding.
to marry.
(of a gear, rack, or worm) to engage with another gear or worm; mesh.
Archaic. to consort; keep company.
Origin of mate
1Other words from mate
- mateless, adjective
Other definitions for mate (2 of 4)
Origin of mate
2Other definitions for mate (3 of 4)
a tealike South American beverage made from the dried leaves of an evergreen tree.
a South American tree, Ilex paraguariensis, that is the source of this beverage.
the dried leaves of this tree.
Origin of mate
3- Also called Paraguay tea, yerba mate .
Other definitions for Mat.E. (4 of 4)
Materials Engineer.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use mate in a sentence
Syria mated the nerve agent with Scud missiles acquired from the Soviet Union in the mid-1980s.
They were a singularly badly mated couple, with a fam'ly iv fourteen childher, but he did not live long to enjoy his happiness.
Mr. Dooley Says | Finley DunneLove, the mysterious fascination of sex, the perfect accord of the well-mated—whatever it was it grew stronger.
The Hidden Places | Bertrand W. SinclairHow friendly they were, how well-mated they appeared to be, how appreciative of each other.
Patchwork | Anna Balmer MyersThe two last lines well describe the fast union between the Honeysuckle and its mated tree.
The plant-lore and garden-craft of Shakespeare | Henry Nicholson Ellacombe
He took pride in his calling, and his team consisted of six stallions, well mated and of gigantic size.
The Old Pike | Thomas B. Searight
British Dictionary definitions for mate (1 of 3)
/ (meɪt) /
the sexual partner of an animal
a marriage partner
informal, mainly British, Australian and NZ a friend, usually of the same sex: often used between males in direct address
(in combination) an associate, colleague, fellow sharer, etc: a classmate; a flatmate
one of a pair of matching items
nautical
short for first mate
any officer below the master on a commercial ship
a warrant officer's assistant on a ship
(in some trades) an assistant: a plumber's mate
archaic a suitable associate
mate rates Australian slang the reduced rate charged for work done for a friend
to pair (a male and female animal) or (of animals) to pair for reproduction
to marry or join in marriage
(tr) to join as a pair; match
Origin of mate
1Derived forms of mate
- mateless, adjective
British Dictionary definitions for mate (2 of 3)
/ (meɪt) /
chess See checkmate
British Dictionary definitions for maté (3 of 3)
mate
/ (ˈmɑːteɪ, ˈmæteɪ) /
an evergreen tree, Ilex paraguariensis, cultivated in South America for its leaves, which contain caffeine: family Aquifoliaceae
a stimulating milky beverage made from the dried leaves of this tree
Origin of maté
3- Modern Greek name: Paraguay tea, yerba, yerba maté
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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