companion
1 Americannoun
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a person who is frequently in the company of, associates with, or accompanies another.
my son and his two companions.
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a person employed to accompany, assist, or live with another in the capacity of a helpful friend.
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a mate or match for something.
White wine is the usual companion of fish.
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a handbook or guide.
a bird watcher's companion.
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a member of the lowest rank in an order of knighthood or of a grade in an order.
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Also called companion star, comes. Astronomy. the fainter of the two stars that constitute a double star.
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Obsolete. a fellow.
verb (used with object)
noun
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a person who is an associate of another or others; comrade
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(esp formerly) an employee, usually a woman, who provides company for an employer, esp an elderly woman
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one of a pair; match
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( as modifier )
a companion volume
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a guidebook or handbook
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a member of the lowest rank of any of certain orders of knighthood
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astronomy the fainter of the two components of a double star
verb
noun
Usage
What does companion mean? A companion is a person who frequently spends time with you, associates with you, or accompanies you when you go places. Pets are also commonly considered companions. The word companion implies that you spend a lot of time together. A person you call a companion can be a friend or a romantic partner. A travel companion is someone you travel with. Companionship is the state of spending time with someone or having someone to spend time with—the state of having a companion or being someone’s companion. Sometimes, a hired helper is called a companion, especially when they help to take care of an older person. Companion is sometimes also used to refer to a thing that accompanies or complements something else, such as in the phrase companion piece, which often refers to an artistic work that pairs well with another work. More specifically, a companion refers to a handbook, guidebook, or field guide (the word is especially used in the titles of such books). In astronomy, companion is used in a more specific way to refer to a companion star—the less bright star in a set of stars called a double star. (The brighter star is called the primary.)Example: People make fun of older people for using dating sites, but the truth is that a lot of them are just lonely and looking for a companion.
Synonym Usage
See acquaintance.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of companion1
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English compainoun, from Anglo-French; Old French compaignon, from Late Latin compāniōn- (stem of compāniō ) “messmate,” equivalent to com- “with, together” + pān(is) “bread” + -iōn- noun suffix; presumably as translation of a Germanic word; compare Gothic gahlaiba, Old High German galeipo; see com-, -ion
Origin of companion2
First recorded in 1730–40; alteration of Dutch kampanje “quarterdeck,” possibly from Italian compagna “pantry (of a ship)”
Explanation
A companion is one who serves as a friend or partner in something. Whether it’s travel or dinner or card-playing, your companion is the one who does it with you. The word companion is a close, um, companion to the word company, and you might as well say that someone you keep company with is your companion. Sometimes, it describes a piece of art or other work that goes with another. For instance, you might read a biography of Emily Dickenson as a companion to her studying her poems. The things go together and complement each other.
Vocabulary lists containing companion
Dog Vocabulary: A Canine Lexicon
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"Of Mice and Men"
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Unit 2: Pivotal Words and Phrases
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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.
Chu and Deng also contributed to a companion perspective paper funded by Intellectual Ventures and published in PNAS.
From Science Daily • May 27, 2026
Across the first six months of 2026, an unusually high number of theatrically released films have seemed like paired companion pieces, feature-length notes on a theme that can or should be watched back-to-back.
From Salon • May 25, 2026
But Crowther’s sleuthing determines that Joyce’s novel was a regular companion of hers, and she was particularly enchanted with Molly Bloom’s closing soliloquy.
From Los Angeles Times • May 25, 2026
"You must remember that my son has lost a deeply loved one, he's lost his companion in life. And we can't even grieve… Everyone is against us," she said.
From BBC • May 21, 2026
As the pale fingers of dawn crept across the sky Matthias was beginning to doubt that his companion knew the way.
From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques
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.
