playmate

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A companion for someone (especially a child) to play with.

   An indulgent playmate, Grannie would lay aside the long scratchy-looking letter she was writing (heavily crossed ‘to save notepaper’) and enter into the delightful pastime of ‘a chicken from Mr Whiteley's’.

2. 2
   noun

   a companion at play

3. 3
   noun

   A person's lover.

4. 4
   noun

   A woman who has appeared as the centerfold in Playboy magazine.

Etymology

From play + mate. Compare earlier playfeer (“playmate”) of similar construction.