teammate

American  

[teem-meyt] / ˈtimˌmeɪt /

noun

1. a member of the same team.

---

Etymology

Origin of teammate

First recorded in 1910–15; team + mate ¹

Explanation

If you play a game or a sport, anyone on your team is your teammate. During a game of charades, you might silently act out the title of a movie while your teammates try to guess it. All the basketball players on the Los Angeles Sparks are teammates. Doubles tennis players who play together against another pair are also teammates. You can use the word to describe someone who collaborates with you, too, like your teammates at work or a teammate on a school project. The word teammate can be traced back to the Old English team, "family, brood, or company."

Example Sentences

Insight from former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson and one-time teammate David Beckham, as well as a gripping soundtrack from one half of 1990s dance music legends Orbital, make it a compelling watch.

From Barron's • May 16, 2026

Look at Wembanyama’s rookie teammate Dylan Harper, installed as a low-pressure fourth or even fifth option, now accelerating into one of the game’s most electric talents.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026

Allen was “a godly person” who never cursed or shared his political views at the time, a former teammate told The Times, but he was also “very competitive.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 3, 2026

Albon also says he's enjoying his second season with teammate Carlos Sainz, who joined Williams from Ferrari for the 2025 campaign.

From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026

I looked around at the crowd, a smear of people rooting for their friend or son or brother or teammate.

From "Ghost" by Jason Reynolds

Related Words

• colleague
• partner