mate

== English == === Pronunciation === enPR: māt IPA(key): /meɪt/ (US, Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): [meɪt] (Standard Southern British) IPA(key): [mɛjt] (Canada, Scotland) IPA(key): [meːt] (General Australian) IPA(key): [mæɪt] Rhymes: -eɪt === Etymology 1 === From Middle English mate, a borrowing from Middle Low German mate (“messmate”) (replacing Middle English mett, mette (“table companion, mate, partner”), from Old English ġemetta (“sharer of food, table-guest”)), from Old Saxon gimato, derived from Proto-Germanic *gamatjô, itself from *ga- (“together”) (related to German and Dutch ge-) + *matjô (from *matiz (“food”)), related to Old English mete (“food”)). From the same Middle Low German source stems German Low German Maat (“journeyman, companion”), German Maat (“naval non-commissioned officer”). Cognates include Saterland Frisian Moat (“friend, buddy, comrade, mate”), Dutch maat (“mate, partner, colleague, friend”). More at Old English ġe-, English co-, English meat. Doublet of maat. Compare typologically Latin compāniō (whence companion) (< con- + panis + -ō), Russian однока́шник (odnokášnik) (< одно- (odno-) + ка́ша (káša) + -ник (-nik)). ==== Noun ==== mate (plural mates) A fellow, comrade, colleague, partner or someone with whom something is shared, e.g. shipmate, classmate. Synonyms: fellow, (poetic, archaic) fere (especially of a non-human animal) A breeding partner. (colloquial, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, South Africa, sometimes elsewhere in the Commonwealth) A friend, usually of the same sex. Synonyms: friend, buddy; see also Thesaurus:friend (colloquial, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, South Africa, sometimes elsewhere in the Commonwealth) Friendly term of address to a stranger, usually male, of similar age. Synonym: buddy (nautical) In naval ranks, a non-commissioned officer or his subordinate (e.g. Boatswain's Mate, Gunner's Mate, Sailmaker's Mate, etc). (nautical) A ship's officer, subordinate to the master on a commercial ship. (nautical) A first mate. A technical assistant in certain trades (e.g. gasfitter's mate, plumber's mate); sometimes an apprentice. The other member of a matched pair of objects. A suitable companion; a match; an equal. ===== Usage notes ===== In British and Irish English, mate remains more masculine‐leaning, though it is increasingly used as a gender‐neutral term among younger generations and in urban centres. In Australian and New Zealand English, while it was originally strictly masculine, it has broadened in recent decades to become a common unisex term of address, even when speaking to strangers. The colloquial sense of a friend or comrade developed from the lateral use of terms like messmate and shipmate among sailors and laborers of equal rank. In the homosocial maritime and working‐class environments of the 15th to 19th centuries, this fostered a strong connotation of egalitarianism and male solidarity. In colonial Australia and New Zealand, the term also denoted an equal partner in a joint enterprise, especially on the goldfields (a role filled by partner in North American English). The shift toward a unisex application is a relatively modern sociolinguistic development. In North America, this colloquial sense is rarely used natively and is strongly associated with British or Australasian speech. Instead, North American English relies on terms such as buddy, pal, or dude. In the US and Canada, mate is generally restricted to its biological sense (a breeding partner) or its formal nautical sense (as in first mate). ===== Hyponyms ===== ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Translations ===== ==== Verb ==== mate (third-person singular simple present mates, present participle mating, simple past and past participle mated) (intransitive) To match, fit together without space between. Synonyms: match, couple, pair (intransitive) To copulate. Synonyms: couple; see also Thesaurus:copulate (intransitive) To pair in order to raise offspring. (transitive) To arrange in matched pairs. (transitive) To introduce (animals) together for the purpose of breeding. (transitive, of an animal) To copulate with. (transitive) To marry; to match (a person). (transitive, obsolete) To match oneself against; to oppose as equal; to compete with. (transitive) To fit (objects) together without space between. (intransitive) To come together as companions, comrades, partners, etc. (transitive, aerospace) To move (a space shuttle orbiter) onto the back of an aircraft that can carry it. Antonym: demate ===== Derived terms ===== mating ===== Translations ===== === Etymology 2 === From Middle English verb maten, from Middle French mater, from Old French noun mat (“checkmate”), from Persian شاه مات (šâh mât). ==== Noun ==== mate (plural mates) (chess) Clipping of checkmate. ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Translations ===== ==== Verb ==== mate (third-person singular simple present mates, present participle mating, simple past and past participle mated) (chess) Clipping of checkmate. ===== Translations ===== === Etymology 3 === From Middle English maten (“to overpower”), from Old French mater (“to kill”), from Vulgar Latin *mattō, of unclear origin. ==== Verb ==== mate (third-person singular simple present mates, present participle mating, simple past and past participle mated) (obsolete) To confuse; to confound. === Etymology 4 === See maté. ==== Noun ==== mate (plural mates) Alternative spelling of maté, an aromatic tea-like drink prepared from the holly yerba maté (Ilex paraguariensis). The abovementioned plant; the leaves and shoots used for the tea === Anagrams === AEMT, ATEM, Atem, META, Meta, Tame, Team, Tema, meat, meta, meta-, tame, team == Asturian == === Verb === mate first/third-person singular present subjunctive of matar == Cebuano == === Etymology === Borrowed from Spanish mate. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈmate/ [ˈma.t̪e] Hyphenation: ma‧te === Noun === mate (Badlit spelling ᜋᜆᜒ) (chess) a checkmate === Verb === mate (Badlit spelling ᜋᜆᜒ) (chess) to checkmate; to put the king of an opponent into checkmate === Interjection === mate (Badlit spelling ᜋᜆᜒ) (chess) checkmate == Czech == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): [ˈmatɛ] === Verb === mate third-person singular present of mást == Dutch == === Pronunciation 1 === Hyphenation: ma‧te ==== Noun ==== mate f (plural maten, diminutive maatje n) archaic form of maat (“measure”) ==== Noun ==== mate (archaic) dative singular of maat degree, extent in welke mate ― to what degree in zekere mate ― to a certain degree in hoge mate ― to a great degree met mate ― in moderation In welke mate voel je je verantwoordelijk voor het ongeluk? ― To what degree do you feel responsible for the accident? ===== Usage notes ===== The usage of mate in modern Dutch likely mostly reflects a survival of its dative case form. The old nominative mate is more rare, although in a number of collocations such as de mate waarin ("the degree to which") it is still encountered, and with the simplification of the case system the old distinction between the nominative and old dative has become muddled. ==== Verb ==== mate (dated or formal) singular past subjunctive of meten === Pronunciation 2 === ==== Noun ==== mate m (uncountable, no diminutive) alternative spelling of maté == Fijian == === Etymology === From Proto-Central-Pacific *mate, from Proto-Oceanic *mate, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *(m-)atay, from Proto-Austronesian *(m-)aCay. === Adjective === mate dead (no longer alive) === Noun === mate death == French == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /mat/ === Adjective === mate feminine singular of mat === Verb === mate inflection of mater: first/third-person singular present indicative/subjunctive second-person singular imperative === Anagrams === méat == Galician == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈmate/ [ˈma.t̪ɪ] Rhymes: -ate Hyphenation: ma‧te === Etymology 1 === Borrowed from French mat, mate. ==== Adjective ==== mate m or f (plural mates) matte (not reflective of light) === Etymology 2 === From xaque mate (“checkmate”), from Arabic شَاه مَاتَ (šāh māta), from Persian شاه مات (šâh mât, “the king [is] dead”). ==== Noun ==== mate m (plural mates) (chess) mate, checkmate Synonym: xaque mate ===== Derived terms ===== === Etymology 3 === Borrowed from Quechua mati. ==== Noun ==== mate m (plural mates) maté (the drink prepared from yerba maté (Ilex paraguariensis) Ilex paraguariensis, a plant used to make maté Synonym: herba mate ===== Derived terms ===== === Etymology 4 === From matar (“kill”). ==== Noun ==== mate m (plural mates) (basketball) dunk (the act of dunking, particularly in basketball) ==== Verb ==== mate inflection of matar: first/third-person singular present subjunctive third-person singular imperative === Further reading === “mate”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2026 “mate”, in Dicionário Estraviz de galego (in Galician), 2014–2026 == Gothic == === Romanization === matē romanization of 𐌼𐌰𐍄𐌴 == Italian == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈma.te/ Rhymes: -ate Hyphenation: mà‧te === Etymology 1 === From Latin māter, from Proto-Italic *mātēr, from Proto-Indo-European *méh₂tēr. ==== Noun ==== mate m (plural mati) (obsolete) mother Synonym: madre ==== See also ==== pate === Etymology 2 === Borrowed from Spanish mate, from Quechua mati (“gourd”). ==== Alternative forms ==== matè (influenced from French maté) ==== Noun ==== mate m (invariable) yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) maté (beverage) === Further reading === mate1 in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana mate2 in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana === Anagrams === Meta, meta, meta-, metà, team, tema == Japanese == === Romanization === mate Rōmaji transcription of まて == Kapampangan == === Etymology === Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *(m-)atay (“die; dead; sick; tired (of)”), from Proto-Austronesian *ma-aCay (“die; dead; eclipse of sun or moon”), from Proto-Austronesian *aCay (“death”). Compare Ilocano matay, Tagalog matay, Central Bikol matay, Cebuano matay, Maranao matay, and Malay mati. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /məˈte/ [məˈtɛ] Hyphenation: ma‧te === Adjective === mate dead === Verb === mate to die ==== Derived terms ==== == Laboya == === Verb === mate to die ==== Derived terms ==== haʼmate (“to kill”) === References === Rina, A. Dj.; Kabba, John Lado B. (2011), “mate”, in Kamus Bahasa Lamboya, Kabupaten Sumba Bakat [Dictionary of Lamboya Language, West Sumba Regency], Waikabubak: Dinas Kebudayaan dan Pariwisata, Kabupaten Sumba Bakat, page 66 == Lithuanian == === Pronunciation 1 === IPA(key): [mɐˈtʲɛ] Rhymes: -ɛ Syllabification: ma‧tè ==== Noun ==== matè locative singular of mãtas (“measure”) === Pronunciation 2 === IPA(key): [²ˈmɑːtʲɛ] Rhymes: -ɑːtʲɛ Syllabification: mã‧te ==== Noun ==== mãte vocative singular of mãtas (“measure”) == Luba-Kasai == === Noun === mate saliva == Māori == === Etymology === From Proto-Polynesian *mate, from Proto-Oceanic *mate, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *(m-)atay, from Proto-Austronesian *(m-)aCay. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈmate/ [ˈmɐtɛ] === Noun === mate death sickness, illness, disease misfortune, calamity, defect desire, need, want ==== Derived terms ==== === Verb === mate(stative) to be dead, deceased, killed to be sick, ill, unwell, diseased to be defeated, conquered, beaten, overcome to be in want of, deeply in love === Further reading === John C. Moorfield (2011), “mate”, in Te Aka: Māori–English, English–Māori Dictionary and Index, 3rd edition, Longman/Pearson Education New Zealand, →ISBN == Mapudungun == === Noun === mate (Raguileo spelling) The drink maté, prepared of yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis). ==== See also ==== matetun === References === Wixaleyiñ: Mapucezugun-wigkazugun pici hemvlcijka (Wixaleyiñ: Small Mapudungun-Spanish dictionary), Beretta, Marta; Cañumil, Dario; Cañumil, Tulio, 2008. == Middle English == === Etymology 1 === From Middle Low German mate (“messmate”), from Old Saxon gimato, from Proto-West Germanic *gamatjō. Doublet of mette. The Middle Low German term was introduced to England via the cross‐cultural commercial networks of the Hanseatic League. Originally adopted as professional maritime and merchant jargon for a shipmate or trading partner, its prestige in the North Sea trade eventually caused it to displace the native doublet mette (“table companion”). ==== Alternative forms ==== mat, mayte ==== Pronunciation ==== IPA(key): /ˈmaːt(ə)/ ==== Noun ==== mate (plural mates) mate (companion, comrade) mate (shipmate) (rare) person, human ===== Descendants ===== English: mate Scots: mate Yola: moude, moud, maude ===== References ===== “māte, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007. === Etymology 2 === ==== Interjection ==== mate alternative form of mat (“checkmate”) ==== Noun ==== mate alternative form of mat (“checkmate”) ==== Adjective ==== mate alternative form of mat (“checkmate”) === Etymology 3 === ==== Adjective ==== mate alternative form of mat (“tired”) inflection of mat: weak singular strong/weak plural === Etymology 4 === ==== Verb ==== mate alternative form of maten (“to checkmate”) === Etymology 5 === ==== Verb ==== mate alternative form of maten (“to overpower”) == Norwegian Bokmål == === Etymology === From mat. === Verb === mate (imperative mat, present tense mater, passive mates, simple past and past participle mata or matet, present participle matende) to feed ==== Synonyms ==== fôre (about animals) ==== Related terms ==== mat (noun) === References === “mate” in The Bokmål Dictionary. == Pali == === Alternative forms === === Adjective === mate inflection of mata (“dead; thought”): masculine/neuter locative singular masculine accusative plural feminine vocative singular === Noun === mate locative singular of mata (“opinion”) == Polish == === Etymology === Borrowed from Spanish mate, from Quechua mati. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈma.tɛ/ Rhymes: -atɛ Syllabification: ma‧te Homophone: matę === Noun === mate f (indeclinable) maté, yerba mate (shrub that produces the beverage maté) Synonym: yerba mate maté, yerba mate (beverage maté) Synonym: yerba mate === Further reading === “mate”, in Polish dictionaries at PWN‎[2] (in Polish) == Portuguese == === Pronunciation === Rhymes: (Brazil) -at͡ʃi, (Portugal) -atɨ Hyphenation: ma‧te === Etymology 1 === Borrowed from Spanish mate, borrowed from Quechua mati. ==== Noun ==== mate m (uncountable) (South Brazil) maté (Ilex paraguariensis) (a shrub native to southern South America) Synonyms: erva-mate, erva maté (a beverage prepared from the leaves of this plant) Synonym: chimarrão ===== Descendants ===== → Hunsrik: Matt === Etymology 2 === See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form. ==== Verb ==== mate inflection of matar: first/third-person singular present subjunctive third-person singular imperative == Rapa Nui == === Etymology === From Proto-Polynesian *mate, from Proto-Oceanic *mate, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *(m-)atay, from Proto-Austronesian *(m-)aCay. === Adjective === mate dead (no longer alive) === Verb === mate to die == Romanian == === Etymology === Clipping of matematică. === Noun === mate f (uncountable) (colloquial) maths == Samoan == === Etymology === From Proto-Polynesian *mate, from Proto-Oceanic *mate, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *(m-)atay, from Proto-Austronesian *(m-)aCay. === Verb === mate (plural mamate) (intransitive, polite, of animals, plants, fire, etc.) to die ==== Derived terms ==== === References === Milner, G.B. (1993), Samoan Dictionary, Auckland: Polynesian Press, →ISBN, page 158 == Shona == === Etymology === From Proto-Bantu *màtáì. === Noun === maté class 6 saliva (liquid secreted into the mouth) == Spanish == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈmate/ [ˈma.t̪e] Rhymes: -ate Syllabification: ma‧te === Etymology 1 === Borrowed from French mat, mate. ==== Adjective ==== mate m or f (masculine and feminine plural mates) matte (not reflective of light) === Etymology 2 === From jaque mate (“checkmate”), from Arabic شَاه مَاتَ (šāh māta), from Persian شاه مات (šâh mât, “the king [is] dead”). ==== Noun ==== mate m (plural mates) (chess) mate, checkmate Synonym: jaque mate (colloquial, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua) a hand gesture Synonym: ademán Siempre me dan gracia sus mates. ― I always find his hand gestures funny. (colloquial, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua) a feint; something feigned; a simulation (colloquial, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua) a gesture that hints something ===== Derived terms ===== === Etymology 3 === Borrowed from Quechua mati. ==== Noun ==== mate m (plural mates) maté (the drink prepared from yerba maté (Ilex paraguariensis)) a hollow gourd or cup in which maté is traditionally served Synonym: porongo Ilex paraguariensis, a plant used to make maté Synonyms: yerba mate, hierba mate (colloquial, Southern Cone) head (top part of the body) Synonym: cabeza ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Descendants ===== → English: maté, mate, (rare) matë → French: maté → Portuguese: mate→ Hunsrik: Matt ⇒ Arabic: مَتَّة (matta) === Etymology 4 === Possibly from mate in the sense of "dull" or "not reflective of light." ==== Adjective ==== mate m or f (masculine and feminine plural mates) (South America) tan, tanned (skin colour) Synonyms: bronceado, tostado === Etymology 5 === Clipping of matemática. ==== Noun ==== mate f (plural mates) (colloquial) math / maths Synonym: mates === Etymology 6 === Deverbal from matar (“kill”). ==== Noun ==== mate m (plural mates) (basketball) dunk, slam dunk (the act of dunking: put the ball directly downward through the hoop while grabbing onto the rim with power) Synonyms: clavada, volcada, retacada, hundida, donqueo ==== Verb ==== mate inflection of matar: first/third-person singular present subjunctive third-person singular imperative === Further reading === “mate”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025 “mate”, in Diccionario de americanismos [Dictionary of Americanisms] (in Spanish), Association of Academies of the Spanish Language [Spanish: Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española], 2010 Roberts, Edward A. (2014), A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the Spanish Language with Families of Words based on Indo-European Roots, Xlibris Corporation, →ISBN == Swahili == === Etymology === Inherited from Proto-Bantu *màtáì. === Pronunciation === === Noun === mate class VI (plural only) saliva == Swedish == === Alternative forms === matte (dated) === Etymology === Borrowed from Spanish mate, from Quechua mati. === Noun === mate n maté (beverage) Synonym: paraguayte ==== Declension ==== ==== Derived terms ==== mateblad === References === “mate”, in Svenska Akademiens ordböcker [Dictionaries of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish) “matte”, in Svenska Akademiens ordbok [Dictionary of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish) == Tagalog == === Etymology === Borrowed from Spanish mate, from jaque mate (“checkmate”), from Arabic شَاه مَاتَ (šāh māta), from Persian شاه مات (šâh mât, “the king [is] dead”). === Pronunciation === (Standard Tagalog) IPA(key): /ˈmate/ [ˈmaː.t̪ɛ] Rhymes: -ate Syllabification: ma‧te === Noun === mate (Baybayin spelling ᜋᜆᜒ) (chess) checkmate ==== See also ==== === Further reading === “mate”, in KWF Diksiyonaryo ng Wikang Filipino, Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino, 2025 == Tahitian == === Etymology === From Proto-Polynesian *mate, from Proto-Oceanic *mate, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *(m-)atay, from Proto-Austronesian *(m-)aCay. === Adjective === mate dead (no longer alive) === Verb === mate to die == Tetum == === Etymology === From Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *mate, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *(m-)atay, from Proto-Austronesian *(m-)aCay. === Adjective === mate dead (no longer alive) === Noun === mate death === Verb === mate to die === Further reading === Fransiskus Monteiro (1985), Kamus Tetun-Indonesia [Tetum-Indonesian Dictionary] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Pusat Pembinaan dan Pengembangan Bahasa, Departemen Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan == Tokelauan == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): [ˈma.te] Hyphenation: ma‧te === Etymology 1 === From Proto-Polynesian *mate. Cognates include Hawaiian make and Samoan mate. ==== Verb ==== mate (plural mamate) (intransitive) to die (stative) to be paralysed (intransitive, of fire) to go out (intransitive, of players) to go out (intransitive, of engines) to stop ===== Usage notes ===== In the sense "to die", mate is normaly used to refer to plants and animals. When used to refer to a human, mate may be perceived as either disrespectful or humorous. === Etymology 2 === From Proto-Polynesian *mate. Cognates include Tongan mate and Samoan mate. ==== Noun ==== mate guess ==== Verb ==== mate (transitive) to guess ===== Derived terms ===== === Etymology 3 === ==== Noun ==== mate (to a male) sororal nephew === References === R. Simona, editor (1986), Tokelau Dictionary‎[4], Auckland: Office of Tokelau Affairs, page 229 == Tongan == === Etymology === From Proto-Polynesian *mate. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ma.te/ === Noun === mate death the dead === Adjective === mate dead == Uneapa == === Etymology === From Proto-Oceanic *mate, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *(m-)atay, from Proto-Austronesian *aCay. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /mate/ === Verb === mate to die === Further reading === M. Ross, A. Pawley, M. Osmond, editors (2016), The Lexicon of Proto-Oceanic‎[5], volumes 5: People: Body and Mind, Australian National University, →ISBN == Yola == === Verb === mate alternative form of maate === References === Charles Vallancey (1788), “Memoir of the Language, Manners and Customs of an Anglo-Saxon Colony Settled in the Baronies of Forth and Bargie, in the County of Wexford, Ireland, in 1167, 1168 and 1169.”, in The Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy‎[6], volume 2, Royal Irish Academy, page 40