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)

• half
• match

Verb (2)

• 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

But the pair hypothesized something more dynamic: that color vision evolved around the same time as a color signal, such as flashy fruit, attractive flowers, mating colors or warning signs. —Molly Herring, Quanta Magazine, 27 June 2025

An 8-speed dual-clutch transmission is mated to the engine. —Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 16 June 2025

Noun

Beshear has won statewide three times in Republican Kentucky, and was considered last year by Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris as a vice presidential running mate. —Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 22 June 2025

Natasha Howard and Aliyah Boston make a formidable presence in the frontcourt, and Clark's backcourt mate, Kelsey Mitchell, forces opposing teams to pick their poison defensively. —Devin Robertson, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025

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

Rhymes for mate

• ate
• bait
• bate
• cate
• crate
• date
• eight
• fait
• fate
• fete
• frate
• freight

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