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Synonyms

matey

1 American  
[mey-tee] / ˈmeɪ ti /

noun

Chiefly British Informal.

plural

mateys

  1. comrade; chum; buddy.

matey 2 American  
[mey-tee] / ˈmeɪ ti /

adjective

Chiefly British Informal.

  1. sociable; friendly.

    a matey chat.
matey British  
/ ˈmeɪtɪ /

adjective

  1. friendly or intimate; on good terms

"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

noun

  1. friend or fellow: usually used in direct address

"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

Other Word Forms

  • mateyness noun
  • matiness noun

Etymology

Origin of matey1

First recorded in 1825–35; mate 1 + -y 2

Origin of matey2

First recorded in 1910–15; mate 1 + -y 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"She will have seen just as much as Andrew. It's inconceivable that she didn't. She was so matey with Epstein."

From BBC

“Ahoy, matey!” it croaked, blinking at the audience.

From Literature

Everyone says “Aye, matey,” and just like that, I’m president of a brand-new club.

From Literature

It doesn't match his public persona of the matey, personable, empathetic royal.

From BBC

“You don’t get matey with the Queen,” recalled former British prime minister Tony Blair.

From Washington Post

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.