mate

1 of 5

verb (1)

ˈmāt 

mated; mating

transitive verb

: checkmate sense 2

mate

2 of 5

noun (1)

: checkmate sense 1

mate

3 of 5

noun (2)

1

a(1)

: associate, companion

(2)

chiefly British : an assistant to a more skilled worker : helper

(3)

chiefly British : friend, buddy

—often used as a familiar form of address

b

archaic : match, peer

2

: a deck officer on a merchant ship ranking below the captain

3

: one of a pair: such as

a

: either member of a couple and especially a married couple

b

: either member of a breeding pair of animals

c

: either of two matched objects

mate

4 of 5

verb (2)

mated; mating

transitive verb

1

archaic : equal, match

2

: to join or fit together : couple

3

a

: to join together as mates

b

: to provide a mate for

intransitive verb

1

: to become mated

gears that mate well

2

: copulate

maté

5 of 5

noun (3)

ma·​té ˈmä-ˌtā 

variants or mate

1

: a tealike beverage drunk especially in South America

2

: a South American shrub or tree (Ilex paraguariensis) of the holly family whose leaves and shoots are used in making maté

also : these leaves and shoots

Synonyms

Noun (2)

• companion
• fellow
• half
• match
• twin

Verb (2)

• breed
• copulate
• sleep

Examples of mate in a Sentence

Noun (2)

have you seen the mate to this glove anywhere?

that lout and his mates are known troublemakers in the neighborhood

a plumber and his mate showed up to fix the sink in our London hotel room

they vowed to each other that they would remain mates for life

spent the weekend in London with some of his mates from Oxford

Verb (2)

cats conceive almost every time they mate

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

During those years, its V-8 engine grew in displacement from 429 cubic inches to 472 cubic inches to 500 cubic inches, all mated to a three-speed automatic transmission driving the front wheels. —Robert Ross, Robb Report, 13 Dec. 2024

The main component of this exquisite beast's powertrain is a custom 4-liter twin-turbo flat-plane crank V8 engine, mated to a new 8-speed Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT). —New Atlas, 12 Dec. 2024

Wisdom had previously mated consistently with an albatross, Akeakamai, who has not been seen for several years. —James Powel, USA TODAY, 8 Dec. 2024

Expected to pump out in excess of 200 horsepower and 253 lb-ft of torque, and be mated to a continuously variable transmission, the Prelude will be front-drive and rival the 228-hp Toyota GR86. —Peter Lyon, Forbes, 25 Nov. 2024

It’s mated to a five-speed manual transaxle transmission that sends 240 horses to the rear axle. —Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 4 Dec. 2024

When the clouds of P. californica took flight, and mated in air, and then began dropping back onto the water, the fish fed upon them voraciously, recklessly. —David Quammen, Outside Online, 29 Nov. 2024

Sea of red: Millions of red crabs travel from the forests of Australia’s Christmas Island National Park to the ocean to mate and spawn every year. —Daniel Wine, CNN, 20 Nov. 2024

The gearing ratios are comparable to those of the Shotgun 650, and the engine is mated to a 6-speed gearbox with a slip and assist clutch. —New Atlas, 5 Nov. 2024

Noun

Wisdom and her mate, Akeakamai, had returned to the atoll in the Pacific Ocean to lay and hatch eggs since 2006. —CBS News, 6 Dec. 2024

However, Wisdom's mate, Akeakamai, has not been seen for several years, prompting Wisdom to pair with a new male this season. —Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2024

Nuñez was DeSantis’s running mate in 2018, and the two share strongly conservative positions on hot-button social issues — including an opposition to many diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. —Niall Stanage, The Hill, 4 Dec. 2024

Marcos and Duterte won landslide victories as running mates in the 2022 election but have since fallen out over key differences. —Jim Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 4 Dec. 2024

Quarterback Joe Fagnano threw for 181 yards and three touchdowns, heating up after a sluggish start, and his backfield mates established a steady running game. —Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 1 Dec. 2024

Then, my middle child who sets the table, my sensitive sweet little soul mate. —Michael Schneider, Variety, 29 Nov. 2024

Harris and her former running mate, Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN), addressed their supporters in a video posted to their YouTube channel Tuesday. —Jenny Goldsberry, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 28 Nov. 2024

Messi has long used Stanley 1913’s South American Mate System, and the athlete views mate, the official drink of his native Argentina, as a connection to his culture and sport community. —Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 22 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French mater, from mat, noun, checkmate, ultimately from Arabic māt (in shāh māt)

Noun (2)

Middle English, probably from Middle Low German māt; akin to Old English gemetta guest at one's table, mete food — more at meat

Noun (3)

French & American Spanish; French maté, from American Spanish mate maté, vessel for drinking it, from Quechua mati vessel

First Known Use

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb (2)

1509, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (3)

1758, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing mate

• aerographer's mate
• age-mate
• cell mate
• first mate
• mate for life
• running mate
• soul mate

Kids Definition

mate

1 of 3 noun

ˈmāt 

1

a

: associate entry 2 sense 1, companion

b

: an assistant worker : helper

plumber's mate

2

: a deck officer on a merchant ship ranking below the captain

3

a

: either member of a married couple

b

: one of a breeding pair of animals

a dove and its mate

c

: either of two matched objects

the mate to a glove

mate

2 of 3 verb

mated; mating

1

: to join or fit together

2

a

: to bring or come together as mates

especially : marry entry 1 sense 1

b

: to provide a mate for

3

: copulate

maté

3 of 3 noun

ma·​té

variants or mate

ˈmä-ˌtā 

: a fragrant beverage made from the leaves and shoots of a South American shrub or tree related to the hollies

also : this shrub or tree or its leaves and shoots

Medical Definition

mate

1 of 2 verb

ˈmāt 

mated; mating

transitive verb

: to pair or join for breeding

intransitive verb

: copulate

maté

2 of 2 noun

ma·​té

variants or mate

ˈmä-ˌtā 

1

: an aromatic beverage used chiefly in South America and especially in Paraguay that has stimulant properties like those of coffee

2

: a South American holly (Ilex paraguayensis) whose leaves and shoots are used in making maté

also : these leaves and shoots