playmate

American  

[play-mayt] / ˈpleɪˌmeɪt /

noun

• playmates
  plural

1. a companion, especially of a child, in play or recreation.

2. Informal. a social companion or lover; girlfriend or boyfriend.

   He showed up at the nightclub with his new playmate.

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playmate British  

/ ˈpleɪˌmeɪt /

noun

1. a friend or partner in play or recreation

   childhood playmates

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• playmates
  plural

Etymology

Origin of playmate

First recorded in 1635–45; play + mate ¹

Explanation

A playmate is a child's pal or buddy. If you grew up in a rural area, far from your closest neighbors, your main playmates may have been your own brothers and sisters. Parents worry when their kids don't have many playmates — although some children simply prefer solitary activities to group games with friends. Babysitting one little girl might seem like an easy job, until six of her favorite playmates come over to play hide-and-seek indoors. Playmate was coined in the 1600s, from play and mate, "comrade or companion."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

playmate playmates

During those summer months, Maya was my only playmate.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

But the joy that little monkey feels for his orangutan, which he uses as shield, surrogate and playmate, is both heartbreaking and heartwarming.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 20, 2026

The clip highlighted an obvious imbalance between a male figure – disingenuously portrayed as a fellow playmate – in a position of power to a teenage girl.

From Salon ● Mar. 23, 2024

But in the meantime, mother chimps continue to be their offspring's primary playmate, tickling, chasing, playing 'airplane'.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 14, 2024

Bunnicula did not make the most energetic playmate.

From "Bunnicula" by Deborah Howe and James Howe

The childhoods so many Americans grew up with—holidays packed with relatives, built-in playmates, bustling Friday night dinners—are quietly disappearing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 8, 2025

This time, in late September, the rabbit was still there, but it had no playmates.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 3, 2025

A brown bear who underwent pioneering, life-saving brain surgery in October has rejoined his playmates after more than a year apart.

From BBC ● May 15, 2025

"But when they're doing that, they are also limiting the ability of their young ones to play with others, and the moms become the primary playmates," said Sabbi.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 14, 2024

I began telling her about my previous encounters with Christianity in the homes of some of my playmates.

From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane