camaraderie

American  

[kah-muh-rah-duh-ree, -rad-uh-, kam-uh-] / ˌkɑ məˈrɑ də ri, -ˈræd ə-, ˌkæm ə- /

Rarely comradery

noun

1. a spirit of trust and goodwill among people closely associated in an activity or endeavor.

   Employees are being offered an opportunity to experience the camaraderie and encouragement that comes from being part of a fitness challenge team.

   Synonyms:

   brotherhood, bonhomie, conviviality

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camaraderie British  

/ ˌkæməˈrɑːdərɪ /

noun

1. a spirit of familiarity and trust existing between friends

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Etymology

Origin of camaraderie

First recorded in 1830–40; from French, equivalent to camarade comrade + -erie -ery

Explanation

Camaraderie is a spirit of good friendship and loyalty among members of a group. You might not like your job, but still enjoy the camaraderie of the people you work with. A high level of camaraderie among athletes on and off the field not only makes it fun to play sports, but is likely to make your team win. This noun was borrowed from French, from camarade, "comrade." It retains the French spelling and Frenchlike pronunciation kahm-uh-RAHD-uh-ree. The suffix -erie corresponds to English -ery, used with nouns to indicate a quality.

Example Sentences

Without hesitation, Christina Koch said she'd miss the camaraderie, that the crew were now like family.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026

Asked what they would miss about celestial life, Koch said "camaraderie."

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026

“But they seem to have even more camaraderie and chemistry, so we’re just big fans of them personally and athletically.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026

Dictators may be faithless and brutal to their own people, but in the rarefied circle of fellow dictators, a kind of camaraderie flourishes.

From Salon • Mar. 14, 2026

Momma, you would not believe the camaraderie and esprit de corps in these hallowed halls.

From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland

Related Words

• companionship
• intimacy
• togetherness