• Companion

    Pronunciation

    Origin

    From Middle English companion, from Old French compaignon ("companion") (modern French compagnon), from Late Latin compāniōn- (nominative singular compāniō, whence French copain), from - + pānis (literally, with + bread), a word first attested in the Frankish Lex Salica as a translation of a Germanic word, probably Frankish *galaibo, *gahlaibo ("messmate", literally with-bread), from *hlaib ("loaf, bread"). Compare also Old High German galeipo ("messmate"), Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌷𐌻𐌰𐌹𐌱𐌰 (gahlaiba, "messmate"), Old Armenian ընկեր (ənker, "friend", literally messmate). More at co-, loaf.

    Full definition of companion

    Noun

    companion

    (plural companions)
    1. A friend, acquaintance, or partner; someone with whom one spends time or keeps companyHis dog has been his trusted companion for the last five years.
      • ShakespeareHere are your sons again; and I must lose
        Two of the sweetest companions in the world.
    2. (dated) A person employed to accompany or travel with another.
    3. (nautical) The framework on the quarterdeck of a sailing ship through which daylight entered the cabins below.
    4. (nautical) The covering of a hatchway on an upper deck which leads to the companionway; the stairs themselves.
    5. (topology) A knot in whose neighborhood another, specified knot meets every meridian disk.
    6. (figuratively) A thing or phenomenon that is closely associated with another thing, phenomenon, or person.
    7. (astronomy) A celestial object that is associated with another.
    8. A knight of the lowest rank in certain orders.a companion of the Bath
    9. (obsolete, derogatory) A fellow; a rogue.
      • 1599, William Shakespeare, , III. i. 111:and let us knog our
        prains together to be revenge on this same scald, scurvy,
        cogging companion,

    Synonyms

    Verb

    1. (obsolete) To be a companion to; to attend on; to accompany.
    2. (obsolete) To qualify as a companion; to make equal.
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