Companion
Pronunciation
Origin
From Middle English companion, from Old French compaignon ("companion") (modern French compagnon), from Late Latin compÄniÅn- (nominative singular compÄniÅ, whence French copain), from - + pÄnis (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 ðŒ²ðŒ°ðŒ·ðŒ»ðŒ°ðŒ¹ðŒ±ðŒ° (gahlaiba, "messmate"), Old Armenian Õ¨Õ¶Õ¯Õ¥Ö€ (É™nker, "friend", literally messmate). More at co-, loaf.
Full definition of companion
Noun
companion
(plural companions)- 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. - (dated) A person employed to accompany or travel with another.
- (nautical) The framework on the quarterdeck of a sailing ship through which daylight entered the cabins below.
- (nautical) The covering of a hatchway on an upper deck which leads to the companionway; the stairs themselves.
- (topology) A knot in whose neighborhood another, specified knot meets every meridian disk.
- (figuratively) A thing or phenomenon that is closely associated with another thing, phenomenon, or person.
- (astronomy) A celestial object that is associated with another.
- A knight of the lowest rank in certain orders.a companion of the Bath
- (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
Related terms
Verb
- (obsolete) To be a companion to; to attend on; to accompany.
- (obsolete) To qualify as a companion; to make equal.
- unknown date William ShakespeareCompanion me with my mistress.