Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “matey” come from?

matey (English) comes from English maté, from Middle English mate, from Middle Low German māte, from Old Saxon gimato, from Proto-Germanic gamatjô, from Proto-Germanic ga-, from Proto-Indo-European ḱóm, from Proto-Indo-European ḱe — to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

matey (English): Sociable or friendly; Diminutive of mate, friend;...

Definitions

  1. Sociable or friendly; Diminutive of mate, friend;...

Ancestry of “matey”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmatéAn evergreen tree, Ilex paraquariensis, native to...
2Middle Englishmate—
3Middle Low Germanmāte—
4Old Saxongimato—
5Proto-Germanicgamatjô—
6Proto-Germanicga-Indicates association or togetherness; co-;...
7Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
8Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
9Middle Englishkyt—
10Germankitt—
11Old High Germankuti—
12Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
13Proto-Germanickweduzresin
14Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
15Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

Words derived from “matey”

  • mateyness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →