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View synonyms for companion

companion

1

[ kuhm-pan-yuhn ]

noun

  1. a person who is frequently in the company of, associates with, or accompanies another:

    my son and his two companions.

    Synonyms: mate, partner, comrade, associate

  2. a person employed to accompany, assist, or live with another in the capacity of a helpful friend.
  3. a mate or match for something:

    White wine is the usual companion of fish.

  4. a handbook or guide:

    a bird watcher's companion.

  5. a member of the lowest rank in an order of knighthood or of a grade in an order.
  6. Also called companion star, comes. Astronomy. the fainter of the two stars that constitute a double star. Compare primary ( def 19b ).
  7. Obsolete. a fellow.


verb (used with object)

  1. to be a companion to; accompany.

companion

2

[ kuhm-pan-yuhn ]

noun

, Nautical.
  1. a covering over the top of a companionway.

companion

1

/ kəmˈpænjən /

noun

  1. nautical
    1. a raised frame on an upper deck with windows to give light to the deck below
    2. ( as modifier )

      a companion ladder

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

companion

2

/ kəmˈpænjən /

noun

  1. a person who is an associate of another or others; comrade
  2. (esp formerly) an employee, usually a woman, who provides company for an employer, esp an elderly woman
    1. one of a pair; match
    2. ( as modifier )

      a companion volume

  3. a guidebook or handbook
  4. a member of the lowest rank of any of certain orders of knighthood
  5. astronomy the fainter of the two components of a double star
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. tr to accompany or be a companion to
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • comˈpanionless, adjective
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Other Words From

  • com·panion·less adjective
  • uncom·panioned adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of companion1

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English compainoun, from Anglo-French; Old French compaignon, from Late Latin compāniōn- (stem of compāniō ) “messmate,” equivalent to com- “with, together” + pān(is) “bread” + -iōn- noun suffix; presumably as translation of a Germanic word; compare Gothic gahlaiba, Old High German galeipo; com-, -ion

Origin of companion2

First recorded in 1730–40; alteration of Dutch kampanje “quarterdeck,” possibly from Italian compagna “pantry (of a ship)”
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Word History and Origins

Origin of companion1

C18: from Dutch kompanje quarterdeck, from Old French compagne, from Old Italian compagna pantry, perhaps ultimately from Latin pānis bread

Origin of companion2

C13: from Late Latin compāniō, literally: one who eats bread with another, from Latin com- with + pānis bread
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Synonym Study

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Example Sentences

While on the hill, I had persuaded my walking companion to film some of the drama on his phone.

From BBC

In the seventeenth century, Thomas Hobbes pegged laughter as the companion of scorn.

From Salon

Her traveling companion, a woman named Caroline, looked in her hair to find she had lice, she said.

And “Tell It Anyway,” the first in a series of companion performances, is so much an experience of sounds and spoken words that you could close your eyes and still get most of it.

My ride companion, The Times’ senior editor for video Mark Potts, remarked that it felt like going up to heaven.

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More About Companion

What does companion mean?

A companion is a person who frequently spends time with you, associates with you, or accompanies you when you go places.

Pets are also commonly considered companions.

The word companion implies that you spend a lot of time together. A person you call a companion can be a friend or a romantic partner. A travel companion is someone you travel with.

Companionship is the state of spending time with someone or having someone to spend time with—the state of having a companion or being someone’s companion.

Sometimes, a hired helper is called a companion, especially when they help to take care of an older person.

Companion is sometimes also used to refer to a thing that accompanies or complements something else, such as in the phrase companion piece, which often refers to an artistic work that pairs well with another work. More specifically, a companion refers to a handbook, guidebook, or field guide (the word is especially used in the titles of such books).

In astronomy, companion is used in a more specific way to refer to a companion star—the less bright star in a set of stars called a double star. (The brighter star is called the primary.)

Example: People make fun of older people for using dating sites, but the truth is that a lot of them are just lonely and looking for a companion.

Where does companion come from?

The first records of the word companion come from around 1300. It comes from a Late Latin word meaning “one who eats bread with another,” from the parts com-, “with,” and pānis, “bread.” The word company is based on the same roots.

A companion is someone who you spend time with, who’s often by your side. A companion can be a close friend or someone with whom you share a more intimate relationship, such as a sibling or partner. When people describe themselves as seeking a companion on a dating app, it typically means they’re looking for a romantic partner to spend a lot of time with, especially to enjoy the same activities together. Pets are often called companions since they’re often by our side and keep us company.

When something is called a companion to something else, it typically means the two things go together in some way. A certain book might be called a companion piece to another book when the two have the same themes or are similar in some other way. A certain food or drink can be called a companion to another when the two pair well together.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to companion?

  • companionship (noun)
  • companionless (adjective)
  • uncompanioned (adjective)

What are some synonyms for companion?

What are some words that share a root or word element with companion

 

 

What are some words that often get used in discussing companion?

 

How is companion used in real life?

Companion is often used when talking about human relationships, but it can also be applied to pets and things.

 

 

Try using companion!

Which of the following people could be considered a companion?

A. friend
B. partner
C. sibling
D. all of the above

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