Comrade

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈkɒmɹeɪd/

Definitions

1. A companion or colleague, especially one who shares a common cause, ideology, or military service with another
2. A fellow member of a group, organization, or ideological movement who shares mutual allegiance and purpose
3. A person united with others through shared work, struggle, or political conviction in a collective endeavor

Etymology: The word "comrade" began as a sleeping arrangement. Its ancestor in Spanish, "camarada," and in Italian, "camerata," meant "chamber mate": people who shared a room. That idea traces back to Latin "camera," a vaulted room or chamber, the same root that gives English "chamber" and, through a different path, "chamberlain," the official who looked after a ruler's private rooms. The word passed into French as "camarade," and from there into English in forms such as "cumrade," "camrade," and "comerade" before settling on its modern spelling. Along the way it kept the sense of close daily companionship, so soldiers, fellow travellers, and workmates could all be called comrades. Its political meaning, a fellow member of a movement or cause, grew out of that same sense of people bound together by a common life. The English word "camaraderie," which describes the warm spirit among companions, was borrowed from French and sits in the same family, so the two words are close relatives.

Synonyms: friend, companion, ally, associate, partner

Antonyms: enemy, rival, opponent