Matey

/ˈmeɪti/

nounBeginnerRareGeneral

Definitions

1

A friendly term for a person.

/ˈmeɪti/

nounpositiveBeginner
General

A friendly form of address, often used by sailors

"Matey, have you seen my treasure map?"

💡 Simply: Imagine you're on a pirate ship and you call your friends 'matey'! It's like saying 'friend' in a fun, playful way, especially if you want to sound a little bit like a pirate.

👶 For kids: It's like calling someone a friend!

More Examples

2

"Come on, matey, let's set sail!"

How It's Used

Nautical

"Ahoy there, matey! What brings you aboard?"

Informal speech

"Alright, matey, let's get this party started!"

Idioms & expressions

Ahoy, matey!

A traditional nautical greeting.

""Ahoy, matey! Welcome aboard!""

From the nautical term "mate," used to address a fellow sailor. The suffix "-y" indicates a friendly or familiar usage.

Common in pirate literature and sea shanties, and used among sailors to indicate camaraderie.

Memory tip

Think of friendly pirates calling each other "matey."

Usage

90%Spoken
10%Written