Nearby Words
noun
1.
husband or wife; spouse.
2.
one member of a pair of mated animals.
3.
one of a pair: I can't find the mate to this glove.
4.
a counterpart.
5.
EXPANDan associate; fellow worker; comrade; partner (often used in combination): classmate; roommate.
6.
friend; buddy; pal (often used as an informal term of address): Let me give you a hand with that, mate.
7.
Nautical.
b.
any of a number of officers of varying degrees of rank subordinate to the master of a merchant ship.
c.
an assistant to a warrant officer or other functionary on a ship.
8.
an aide or helper, as to an artisan; factotum.
9.
a gear, rack, or worm engaging with another gear or worm.
10.
COLLAPSEArchaic. an equal in reputation; peer; match.
verb (used with object)
11.
to join as a mate or as mates.
12.
to bring (animals) together for breeding purposes.
13.
to match or marry.
14.
to join, fit, or associate suitably: to mate thought with daring action.
15.
EXPANDto connect or link: a telephone system mated to a computerized information service.
16.
COLLAPSEto treat as comparable.
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Mateless
is always a great word to know.
So is flibbertigibbet. Does it mean:
| a chattering or flighty, light-headed person. |
| the offspring of a zebra and a donkey. |
Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English < Middle Low German; replacing Middle English mette, Old English gemetta messmate, guest. See meat
1350–1400; Middle English < Middle Low German; replacing Middle English mette, Old English gemetta messmate, guest. See meat
Related forms
mate·less, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To mateless
Collins
World English Dictionary
| mate1 (meɪt) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | the sexual partner of an animal |
| 2. | a marriage partner |
| 3. | a. informal chiefly (Brit), (Austral), (NZ) a friend, usually of the same sex: often used between males in direct address |
| b. (in combination) an associate, colleague, fellow sharer, etc: a classmate; a flatmate | |
| 4. | one of a pair of matching items |
| 5. | nautical |
| a. short for first mate | |
| b. any officer below the master on a commercial ship | |
| c. a warrant officer's assistant on a ship | |
| 6. | (in some trades) an assistant: a plumber's mate |
| 7. | archaic a suitable associate |
| 8. | slang (Austral) mate rates the reduced rate charged for work done for a friend |
| —vb | |
| 9. | to pair (a male and female animal) or (of animals) to pair for reproduction |
| 10. | to marry or join in marriage |
| 11. | (tr) to join as a pair; match |
| [C14: from Middle Low German; related to Old English gemetta table-guest, from mete | |
| 'mateless1 | |
| —adj | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
mate
"companion, associate, fellow, comrade," late 14c., from M.L.G. mate, gemate "one eating at the same table, messmate," from P.Gmc. *ga-maton "having food (*matiz) together (*ga-)," which is etymologically identical with companion (q.v.). Meaning "one of a wedded pair"
EXPANDis attested from 1540s. Used as a form of address by sailors, laborers, etc., since at least mid-15c. Meaning "officer on a merchant vessel is from late 15c. The verb, of animals, "to pair for the purpose of breeding" is first recorded c.1600. The verb in chess (early 14c.) is short for checkmate (q.v.) and is not related.
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary
mate 1 (māt)
n.
A spouse.
Either of a pair of animals or birds that associate in order to propagate.
Either of a pair of animals brought together for breeding.
To become joined in marriage.
To be paired for reproducing; breed.
To copulate.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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