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companion1 definition

com·pan·ion (kəm panyən)

noun

  1. a person who associates with or accompanies another or others; associate; comrade
  2. a person employed to live or travel with another
  3. either of two persons not married to each other but otherwise in an intimate, spouse-like relationship: often, specif., used when the persons are of the same sex
  4. a member of the lowest rank in an order of knighthood
  5. a thing that matches another in sort, color, etc.; one of a pair or set
  6. a handbook on a specific subject a companion to French literature
  7. Obsolete a scoundrel

Etymology: ME compainoun < OFr compagnon < VL *companio, lit., bread fellow, messmate (calque of Goth gahlaiba, one who eats of the same bread < ga-, with + hlaifs, bread, loaf) < L com-, with + panis, bread

transitive verb

to accompany
companion2 definition

com·pan·ion (kəm panyən)

noun

  1. the covering at the head of a companionway
  2. companionway

Etymology: Du kampanje, quarterdeck < OFr compagne, steward's room in a galley < It (camera della) compagna, (room of the) company, crew < VL compania: see company

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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