companion

companion
\ \ [13] Etymologically, your companion is someone who shares your ‘bread’ with you. It comes, via Old French compaignon, from Vulgar Latin *compāniō, a compound noun formed from Latin com- ‘with’ and pānisbread’. The Old French stem compaign- also formed the basis of compaignie, from which English gets company [13]. Compare MATE.
\ \ The companion of companionwaystairway on a ship’ [18] is of similar but distinct origin. It comes ultimately from Vulgar Latin *compānia, a compound noun meaning ‘what one eats with bread’, formed from Latin com- ‘with’ and pānisbread’. In Italian this became campagnaprovisions’, which was used in the phrase camera della campagna(ship’s) storeroom’.
\ \ The meaning of the phrase eventually passed to campagna on its own, and was carried via Old French compagne to Dutch kompanje, which meant ‘quarterdeck’. English borrowed this, and adapted it to the more familiar English pattern companion.
\ \ Cf.COMPANY, PANNIER

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Companion — may refer to: A friend or acquaintance you associate yourself with Companion (caregiving), a nurse assistant or similar professional who assists a patient one on one Companion (ship), an architectural feature of ships Companion animal, a pet… …   Wikipedia

  • Companion — Com*pan ion (k[o^]m*p[a^]n y[u^]n), n. [F. compagnon, OF. compaing, fr. an assumed LL. companio (cf. companium fellowship, a mess), fr. L. com + panis bread. See {Pantry}.] 1. One who accompanies or is in company with another for a longer or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • companion — COMPANIÓN, OÁNĂ, companioni, oane, s.m. şi f. (Franţuzism). 1. Camarad, tovarăş. 2. Persoană care făcea parte dintr o societate comercială, artistică etc. – Din fr. compagnon. Trimis de LauraGellner, 13.09.2007. Sursa: DEX 98  COMPANIÓN s. v.… …   Dicționar Român

  • Companion — Com*pan ion, v. t. 1. To be a companion to; to attend on; to accompany. [R.] Ruskin. [1913 Webster] 2. To qualify as a companion; to make equal. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] Companion me with my mistress. Shak. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • companion — c.1300, from O.Fr. compagnon fellow, mate, friend, partner (12c.), from L.L. companionem (nom. companio), lit. bread fellow, messmate, from L. com with (see COM (Cf. com )) + panis bread. Found first in 6c. Frankish Lex Salica, and probably a… …   Etymology dictionary

  • companion — ► NOUN 1) a person with whom one spends time or travels. 2) each of a pair of things intended to complement or match each other. 3) (Companion) a member of the lowest grade of certain orders of knighthood. DERIVATIVES companionship noun. ORIGIN… …   English terms dictionary

  • companion — companion1 [kəm pan′yən] n. [ME compainoun < OFr compagnon < VL * companio, lit., bread fellow, messmate (calque of Goth gahlaiba, one who eats of the same bread < ga , with + hlaifs, bread, LOAF1) < L com , with + panis, bread] 1. a… …   English World dictionary

  • companion — index associate, cohort, colleague, complement, confederate, consociate, consort, copartner (business associate) …   Law dictionary

  • companion — n comrade, *associate, crony Analogous words: *friend, confidant, intimate, acquaintance: *partner, colleague: attendant, escort, chaperon (see corresponding verbs at ACCOMPANY) …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • companion — [n] helper, friend accompaniment, accomplice, aide, ally, assistant, associate, attendant, buddy, chaperon, colleague, comate, complement, comrade, concomitant, confederate, consort, convoy, counterpart, cousin, co worker, crony, cuz*, double,… …   New thesaurus

  • companion — 1. n. & v. n. 1 a (often foll. by in, of) a person who accompanies, associates with, or shares with, another (a companion in adversity; they were close companions). b a person, esp. an unmarried or widowed woman, employed to live with and assist… …   Useful english dictionary

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