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Synonyms

roommate

American  
[room-meyt, room-] / ˈrumˌmeɪt, ˈrʊm- /

noun

  1. a person who is assigned to share or shares a room or apartment with another or others.

roommate British  
/ ˈruːmˌmeɪt, ˈrʊm- /

noun

  1. a person with whom one shares a room or lodging

"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

Etymology

Origin of roommate

An Americanism dating back to 1780–90; room + mate 1

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.

The severity of seemingly mundane, everyday anxieties — school bullies, the prom, graduation, obnoxious Cher-obsessed college roommates — is on par with demons trying to hasten the apocalypse.

From Salon

“Vaughan will room with someone else because he said he’d be too comfortable with us and be a bad roommate,” Spalding said.

From Los Angeles Times

She talked about her first night out with her Californian roommate and the culture shock of seeing students wearing shorts to class and their public displays of affection.

From The Wall Street Journal

After their roommate’s car was towed, Crispi accompanied her to retrieve it from Hollywood Tow Service, where they said the lot appeared unusually busy.

From Los Angeles Times

“Family only, but her roommates are holding a small reception at her apartment.”

From Literature

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.