mate English · revision 4626

+ English has three words spelled ''mate'': a companion, from Middle Low German; the checkmate in chess, from Old French mat; and the South American tea, also spelled maté, from Spanish and Quechua.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /meɪt/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ {{homograph|1|companion}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1350|origins=gem-pro *gamatjô}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|mate]],^(MWU 2024) [[bor|gml|māte|t=one eating at the same table, messmate]], gemate,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) from [[gem-pro|*gamatjô|alt=*ga-matjōn|t=(one) having food together]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from *ga- “together” and *matiz “food”, the source of [[meat]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Cresswell 2021) It is built on the same notion as [[companion]].^(Etymonline) It is cognate with German Maat and Dutch maat “partner, colleague”.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A fellow, associate or comrade: probably about 1350 in Barnhart,^(Barnhart 1988) the mid-14th century in Etymonline,^(Etymonline) about 1380 in the OED.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A habitual companion or friend is from the late 14th century.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) As a form of address by sailors and labourers it has been used since the mid-15th century,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and the officer on a merchant ship who sees the master's orders carried out is from the late 15th century.^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) One of a married pair is from the 1540s (1549 in the OED),^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) one of a pair of animals or birds from 1593,^(OED 1989) and the fellow of a pair of things from 1578.^(OED 1989) The verb meant “to equal, rival” about 1500,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) “to join in marriage” in the 1590s,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) and “to pair for breeding” about 1600.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1350 – a fellow.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1450 – a form of address.^(OED 1989)

+ * late 15th century – a ship's officer.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1509 – verb, to equal.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1549 – a husband or wife.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1589 – verb, to marry.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1593 – one of a pair of animals.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1600 – verb, to pair for breeding.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(chiefly British, Australian)'' A friend or [[companion]]; also used as a form of address.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # One of a pair of animals that [[breed]] together.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A [[husband]], [[wife]] or partner.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # One of a matched pair: ''the mate to this sock''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # An officer on a merchant ship ranking below the captain.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # An assistant to a skilled worker: ''a plumber's mate''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # Of animals, to come together to breed, or to bring them together.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To join closely or pair.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[mateship]]

+ * [[matey]]

+ * [[shipmate]]

+ * [[classmate]]

+ * [[roommate]]

+ * [[soulmate]]

+ * [[messmate]]

+

+ {{homograph|2|checkmate}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=a. 1225}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|maten]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) [[bor|fro|mater|t=to checkmate, defeat]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from mat “checkmated”, as in eschec mat,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) from Arabic māt, in shāh māt, the phrase used in chess,^(MWU 2024) the source of [[checkmate]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To overcome or defeat: probably about 1200 in Barnhart, in the Ancrene Riwle,^(Barnhart 1988) before 1225 in the OED.^(OED 1989) To checkmate in chess: probably before 1300 in Barnhart,^(Barnhart 1988) about 1300 in Etymonline.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The adjective mate, overcome, exhausted or dejected, was used in Middle English but is obsolete.^(OED 1989) The noun, the state of the king in check that cannot escape, is from about 1330,^(OED 1989) and ''fool's mate'', the quickest possible checkmate, from 1529.^(OED 1989) To daunt or render helpless by terror or shame was a sense from about 1416, now obsolete.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * a. 1225 – to overcome.^(OED 1989)

+ * a. 1300 – to checkmate.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1330 – noun, checkmate.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1529 – ''fool's mate''.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(chess)'' [[checkmate|alt=Checkmate]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # ''(chess)'' To checkmate.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ {{homograph|3|tea}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1717|origins=qu mati}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|es|mate]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) from Quechua mati “calabash, gourd”.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) The spelling maté (1826) came through French.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The gourd or calabash in which the drink is made: 1717 in the OED, implied in Barnhart.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988) The tea itself: 1758.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The name passed from the vessel to the infusion and the shrub,^(Hoad 1986) whose prepared leaves are called mate from 1768.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1717 – the gourd.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1758 – the tea.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1826 – the spelling maté.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A tea-like drink made from the dried leaves of a South American [[holly]], or the shrub itself.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[meat]]

+ * [[companion]]

+ * [[checkmate]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}