mate

Pronunciation

• IPA ^(key): /meɪt/

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Noun

Singular mate

Plural mates

1. (countable) A mate is someone you do something with.

   Nils, my tent mate, was from the same elementary school in the city.

2. (countable); (informal); (UK) (Australian) A mate is a friend, usually male.

   I'm meeting my mates later, after work.

   The two of them are best mates.

   What can I do for you, mate?

3. (countable) A mate is an animal's sexual partner.

   The zoo has been having trouble getting a mate for the panda.

4. (countable) A mate is a person's husband or wife.
5. (countable) A mate is the other member of a matched pair of objects.
6. (countable) A drink made from yerba mate.

Related words

• mateship
• matey
• bunkmate
• cellmate
• checkmate
• classmate
• crewmate
• roommate
• shipmate

Verb

Plain form mate

Third-person singular mates

Past tense mated

Past participle mated

Present participle mating

Two donkeys mating.

1. (intransitive) In animals, to have sex.

   The monkeys were going to mate.

   The female shows she's ready to mate by showing her red bottom to the male.

2. (transitive) To match two things together.

   That morning when they tried to mate her with our bull, she had no idea what to do.

Related words

• mating