mate1

[meyt] /meɪt/
noun
1.
a partner in marriage; 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.
an 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.
  1. first mate.
  2. any of a number of officers of varying degrees of rank subordinate to the master of a merchant ship.
  3. 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.
Archaic. an equal in reputation; peer; match.
verb (used with object), mated, mating.
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.
to connect or link:
a telephone system mated to a computerized information service.
16.
to treat as comparable.
verb (used without object), mated, mating.
17.
to associate as a mate or as mates.
18.
(of animals) to copulate.
19.
(of animals) to pair for the purpose of breeding.
20.
to marry.
21.
(of a gear, rack, or worm) to engage with another gear or worm; mesh.
22.
Archaic. to consort; keep company.
Origin
1350-1400; Middle English < Middle Low German; replacing Middle English mette, Old English gemetta messmate, guest. See meat
Related forms
mateless, adjective

mate2

[meyt] /meɪt/
noun, verb (used with object), mated, mating, interjection
1.
checkmate (defs 1, 3, 5).
Origin
1175-1225; Middle English mat defeated (adj.), defeat (noun) < Old French ≪ Persian; see checkmate

mate3

[mah-tey, mat-ey] /ˈmɑ teɪ, ˈmæt eɪ/
noun
1.
maté.

maté

[mah-tey, mat-ey, mah-tey] /ˈmɑ teɪ, ˈmæt eɪ, mɑˈteɪ/
noun
1.
a tealike South American beverage made from the dried leaves of an evergreen tree.
2.
a South American tree, Ilex paraguariensis, that is the source of this beverage.
3.
the dried leaves of this tree.
Also, mate.
Also called Paraguay tea, yerba maté.
Origin
1710-20; < American Spanish mate, orig. the vessel in which the herb is steeped < Quechua mati

Mat.E.

1.
Materials Engineer.
Examples from the web for mate
  • mate insurance provides a safeguard against reasonable risks of losing a partner.
  • My untenured office mate several years ago had a situation in which she was overtly pressured by a coach.
  • For mammals that form leks, however, scientists thought that factors other than mate choice attracted females to the party.
  • But unlike the other slugs, they mate while suspended from a long thread of slime.
  • Temporal: if they mate at different times, are active at different times, this can affect if they ever interbreed.
  • But they mate in fall and make desert cameos at night or in cool weather.
  • Usually, males will mate with many different females throughout their lifetimes.
  • Many species don't mate until they're in their teens, and then may bear small litters only once every two years.
  • The social dynamics of play require that players agree to play and not to eat one another or fight or try to mate.
  • Males want to spread their genes far and wide and mate with as many females as possible.
British Dictionary definitions for mate

mate1

/meɪt/
noun
1.
the sexual partner of an animal
2.
a marriage partner
3.
  1. (informal, mainly Brit & Austral, NZ) a friend, usually of the same sex: often used between males in direct address
  2. (in combination) an associate, colleague, fellow sharer, etc: a classmate, a flatmate
4.
one of a pair of matching items
5.
(nautical)
  1. short for first mate
  2. any officer below the master on a commercial ship
  3. a warrant officer's assistant on a ship
6.
(in some trades) an assistant: a plumber's mate
7.
(archaic) a suitable associate
8.
(Austral, slang) mate rates, the reduced rate charged for work done for a friend
verb
9.
to pair (a male and female animal) or (of animals) to pair for reproduction
10.
to marry or join in marriage
11.
(transitive) to join as a pair; match
Derived Forms
mateless, adjective
Word Origin
C14: from Middle Low German; related to Old English gemetta table-guest, from metemeat

mate2

/meɪt/
noun, verb
1.
(chess) See checkmate

maté

/ˈmɑːteɪ; ˈmæteɪ/
noun
1.
an evergreen tree, Ilex paraguariensis, cultivated in South America for its leaves, which contain caffeine: family Aquifoliaceae
2.
a stimulating milky beverage made from the dried leaves of this tree
Modern Greek name Paraguay tea, yerba, yerba maté
Word Origin
C18: from American Spanish (originally referring to the vessel in which the drink was brewed), from Quechua máti gourd
Word Origin and History for mate
n.

"associate, fellow, comrade," mid-14c., also "companion" (late 14c.), from Middle Low German mate, gemate "one eating at the same table, messmate," from Proto-Germanic *ga-maton "having food (*matiz) together (*ga-)," which is etymologically identical with companion. Cognate with Danish and Swedish mat, German Maat "mate," Dutch maat, from German. Meaning "one of a wedded pair" is 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.

in chess, "a condition of checkmate," c.1300, mat, from Middle French mat, from Old French mater (see mate (v.2)).

v.

c.1500, "to equal, rival," 1590s as "to match, couple, marry, join in marriage," from mate (n.1). Also, of animals, "to pair for the purpose of breeding." Related: Mated; mating.

"checkmate," c.1300, from Old French mater "to checkmate, defeat, overcome," from mat "checkmated" (see checkmate (v.)).

mate in Medicine

mate 1 (māt)
n.

  1. A spouse.

  2. Either of a pair of animals or birds that associate in order to propagate.

  3. Either of a pair of animals brought together for breeding.

v. mat·ed, mat·ing, mates

  1. To become joined in marriage.

  2. To be paired for reproducing; breed.

  3. To copulate.

Slang definitions & phrases for mate

mate

noun

A friend of the same sex; a friend or companion: Give me a hand, mate (1380+)