messmate

American  

[mes-meyt] / ˈmɛsˌmeɪt /

noun

1. a person, especially a friend, who is a member of a group regularly taking meals together, as in an army camp.

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messmate British  

/ ˈmɛsˌmeɪt /

noun

1. a person with whom one shares meals in a mess, esp in the army

2. any of various eucalyptus trees that grow amongst other species

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Etymology

Origin of messmate

First recorded in 1720–30; mess + mate ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

messmate

But the bacteria found inside those that received messmate microbes changed a lot.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 23, 2019

The others got fecal transplants from wild-caught koalas living in and dining on messmate.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 23, 2019

Most important was that the koalas that had been seeded with the new bacteria actually went on to eat more messmate than the control group.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 23, 2019

Known as messmate, it’s considered less nutritious, but it’s eucalyptus all the same.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 23, 2019

Government paid the reward over into the hands of the coastguard, who all subscribed liberally towards the comfort of their wounded messmate.

From The History of Margaret Catchpole A Suffolk Girl by Richard Cobbold