definitions

matey

1
[ mey-tee ]
/ ˈmeɪ ti /
|
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR matey ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural mate·ys. Chiefly British Informal.

comrade; chum; buddy.

RELATED WORDS

affable, amicable, complacent, congenial, convivial, cordial, cozy, familiar, genial, good-natured, gregarious, intimate, mellow, neighborly, outgoing, sociable, social, tight, clubby, conversable

Nearby words

maternity, maternity benefit, maternity leave, maternity ward, mateship, matey, math, math., matha, mathematic, mathematical

Origin of matey

1
First recorded in 1825–35; mate1 + -y2

Definition for matey (2 of 2)

matey

2
[ mey-tee ]
/ ˈmeɪ ti /

adjective Chiefly British Informal.

sociable; friendly: a matey chat.

Origin of matey

2
First recorded in 1910–15; mate1 + -y1
Related formsmate·y·ness, mat·i·ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for matey

British Dictionary definitions for matey

matey

maty

British informal

adjective

friendly or intimate; on good terms

noun

friend or fellow: usually used in direct address
Derived Formsmateyness or matiness, noun
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

Word Origin and History for matey

matey

n.

1833, diminutive of mate (n.) in its "male friend" sense + -y (3).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper