com ‧ pan ‧ ion /kəmˈpænjən/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: compagnon , from Late Latin companio , from Latin com- ( ⇨ COM- ) + panis 'bread, food' ]
1 . someone you spend a lot of time with, especially a friend:
For ten years he had been her constant companion.
His dog became his closest companion.
a travelling companion
dinner/drinking companion
2 . one of a pair of things that go together or can be used together
companion to
This book is a companion to Professor Farrer’s first work.
companion volume/piece etc
The ‘Encyclopedia of Gardening’ is a companion volume to the ‘Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers’.
3 . used in the titles of books about a particular subject:
‘A Companion to Japanese Literature’
4 . someone, especially a woman, who is paid to live or travel with an older person
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COLLOCATIONS
■ adjectives
▪ a constant/inseparable companion (=someone you spend most or all of the time with)
The two boys became constant companions.
▪ a close companion
At school, we were close companions for several years.
▪ a travelling companion British English , a traveling companion American English (=someone you travel somewhere with)
I knew that Dave would be a good travelling companion.
▪ a dinner/dining companion (=someone you have dinner with)
We saw him in the restaurant with a very attractive dinner companion.
▪ a female/male companion
Do you know who his female companion was?
▪ a good/perfect/wonderful companion
For older people a pet cat can be a very good companion.
▪ a drinking companion (=someone you go out with to drink alcohol)
George was out again with his drinking companions.
▪ a lifelong companion (=someone who lives or spends time with someone throughout their life)
Lucinda was her best friend and lifelong companion.
▪ a boon companion literary (=a very close friend)
Charles arrived at the house, together with his boon companion Herbert.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ friend someone who you know and like very much and enjoy spending time with:
Dad, this is my friend Steve.
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She’s going to Palm Springs with some friends.
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I got a letter from a friend from college.
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Amy’s a close friend of mine.
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John was a really good friend to me when I had all those problems last year.
▪ acquaintance /əˈkweɪnt ə ns/ someone who you know and see sometimes, but who is not one of your close friends:
We borrowed the money from one of Paul’s business acquaintances.
▪ mate British English informal a friend – used especially about boys or men:
He always goes to the pub with his mates on Friday night.
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Terry’s an old mate of mine.
▪ buddy American English informal a friend – used especially about men or young people:
He’s out playing basketball with some of his high school buddies.
▪ pal informal a friend – pal sounds rather old-fashioned:
They met at school and have remained close pals.
▪ crony [usually plural] disapproving a friend – used about powerful people who will help each other even if it is slightly dishonest:
He’s one of the President’s cronies.
▪ companion written someone who spends time with you, doing the same things as you – used about animals as well as people:
travelling companions
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His dog was his constant companion.
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the perfect companion
▪ the girls informal a woman’s female friends:
We’re having a girls’ night out.
▪ the lads British English informal a man’s male friends:
a night out with the lads