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compadre

American  
[kuhm-pah-drey] / kəmˈpɑ dreɪ /

noun

Chiefly Southwestern U.S.
  1. a friend, companion, or close associate.


compadre British  
/ kɒmˈpɑːdreɪ, kəm- /

noun

  1. a masculine friend

"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

Etymology

Origin of compadre

An Americanism first recorded in 1825–35; from Spanish: “godfather,” from early Medieval Latin compater; see compère

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.

Taibo’s longtime friend and leftist compadre, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Mexico’s former president, tapped him for the publishing post.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 6, 2025

Even my gringo compadre, who graduated from Luther College in Decorah, laughed, when I said I would be spending most of my time in the state capital, Des Moines.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 6, 2023

Messi had been in touch with Neymar, his old compadre, to talk things through.

From New York Times • Aug. 10, 2021

In 2016, would I have imagined I would witness my Canadian compadre Drake rapping in Spanish like it’s no big thing?

From Slate • Dec. 22, 2018

He gave his old business partner un abrazo, addressing him as compadre even though neither one was godparent to the other’s children.

From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez