mate
B1Informal, neutral
Definition
Meaning
A friend, companion, or one of a pair.
Used as an informal term of address for a male peer. In biology/zoology, a sexual partner. In chess, checkmate. A structural component fitted to another (e.g., pipe fitting). On a ship, an officer below the rank of captain.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The core informal sense of 'friend' is a central part of Australian and British casual registers, but can be perceived as forced or overly familiar in some American contexts. Its use is overwhelmingly masculine.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Much more common as a casual term of address ('Alright, mate?') in UK, Australia, NZ. In US, 'mate' is far less common for 'friend' and carries connotations of foreignness, often specifically British/Australian. The nautical and chess senses are equally used in both.
Connotations
UK/AU: Friendly, casual, often working-class or 'blokeish' camaraderie. US: Primarily foreign (British/Australian), or specific to chess/shipping.
Frequency
Very high frequency in UK/AU informal speech. Lower frequency in US speech, where 'buddy', 'dude', 'man', 'pal' are preferred.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
be mates with [PERSON]have a mate in [PLACE/ORGANISATION]mate with [ANIMAL]mate [OBJECT A] to [OBJECT B]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “on the mate (AU/NZ slang: on credit)”
- “checkmate (decisive move)”
- “mate's rates (discount for a friend)”
- “go mateo (AU: become close friends)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in informal networking ('an old mate from the industry').
Academic
Used in biological contexts ('breeding mates'), chess studies, and nautical history.
Everyday
Ubiquitous in UK/AU for informal reference to friends ('He's my mate', 'Cheers, mate!').
Technical
Engineering: 'a threaded mate'. Chess: 'forced mate in three'. Biology: 'mate selection'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- He's been my best mate since primary school.
- I'll ask my mate Dave, he's a plumber.
American English
- The black king is in mate.
- The first mate took command of the vessel.
verb
British English
- The connectors are designed to mate securely.
- The zoo hopes the pandas will mate this season.
American English
- Ensure the two surfaces mate perfectly before tightening.
- The software update failed to mate with the old hardware.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- This is my friend Tom. He is my best mate.
- The lion and his mate live here.
- I'm going to the cinema with a few mates tonight.
- Can you help me find the mate to this sock?
- We've been mates for years, through thick and thin.
- The mechanic showed me how the parts mate together.
- His affable manner made it easy for him to mate with anyone at the party.
- The chess grandmaster foresaw a forced mate in seven moves.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of sharing a plate of food with your MATE at a MATE (a type of South American tea) ceremony. You're paired up.
Conceptual Metaphor
FRIENDSHIP IS PAIRING / PARTNERSHIP IS A FIT ('They're a perfect mate for the role').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'мат' (profanity/swear words).
- 'Mate' as 'friend' is not as emotionally deep as 'друг', it's more casual like 'приятель'.
- Using 'mate' to address a stranger (common in UK) can be misconstrued as over-familiarity by Russians.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'mate' in formal US correspondence. *'Dear Mate,' (incorrect).
- Overusing 'mate' in American contexts, sounding unnatural.
- Assuming 'mate' implies a very close friendship; it can be used for acquaintances.
Practice
Quiz
In which context would 'mate' be LEAST appropriate in American English?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily, yes. While it can be used for females among some groups, it's overwhelmingly masculine. Women more commonly use 'friend' or 'girlfriend' in casual UK/AU speech.
Almost never. It is far too informal. Use 'colleague', 'associate', or simply the person's name.
'Friend' is standard and universal. 'Mate' (in the friendship sense) is culturally specific (UK/AU/NZ), more casual, and often implies shared activity or context (work mate, football mate).
It simply never became part of the core American informal lexicon. Words like 'buddy', 'pal', 'dude', and 'man' filled that niche. 'Mate' retained its other specific meanings (chess, nautical, biology).