matey

[mey-tee]

adjective Chiefly British Informal.

sociable; friendly: a matey chat.

Origin of matey

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

British Dictionary definitions for matiness

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 matiness

matey

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