companion

Definition

A friend, acquaintance, or partner; someone with whom one spends time or accompanies

Etymology

From Middle English companion, from Old French compaignon (“companion”) (modern French compagnon), from Late Latin compāniōn- (nominative singular compāniō, whence French copain), from com- + pānis (literally, with + bread), a word first attested in the Frankish Lex Salica as a calque of a Germanic word, probably Frankish *galaibo, *gahlaibō (“messmate”, literally “with-bread”), from Proto-Germanic *gahlaibô. Compare also Old High German galeipo (“messmate”) and Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌷𐌻𐌰𐌹𐌱𐌰 (gahlaiba, “messmate”); and, for the semantics, compare Old Armenian ընկեր (ənker, “friend”, literally “messmate”). More at co-, loaf. Displaced native Old English ġefēra (literally “fellow traveler”). Compare company and mate.

Example Sentences

• "His dog has been his trusted companion for the last five years."
• "Heere are your Sonnes againe, and I muſt looſe / Two of the ſweet’ſt Companions in the World."
• "The krogan have had a love-hate relationship with varren for millennia, alternately fighting them for territory and embracing them as treasured companions."

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