comrade
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
a friend or colleague who shares the same activities or difficulties as you.
a companion, associate, or fellow member of an organisation, often implying a shared struggle or professional bond.
Simple“He felt a strong bond with his comrades from the years they spent working in the mines.”
In context“The veteran spoke movingly about his fallen comrades, emphasizing the unbreakable bonds formed during their years of service overseas.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
a fellow member of a left-wing political party, such as a socialist or communist group.
a fellow member of a socialist or communist party; frequently used as a non-hierarchical title or form of address.
Simple“The speaker addressed the crowd as 'comrades' to show they were all equal in the movement.”
In context“In the early twentieth century, party members would regularly address one another as 'comrade' to signal their shared commitment to revolutionary ideals.”
UsageOften used as a title before a surname in political contexts.
Teacher's tipIn many Western countries, using this word today sounds very political or historical; it is rarely used in casual conversation unless referring to specific political movements.
Synonymsallyfellow traveller
“For a while she and her comrades evaded the authorities’ attention because they seemed like harmless old women, but when the government did try to close them down, they beat them off with sticks.”
From earlier cumrade, camrade, comerade, camerade, camarade, from Middle French camarade, from Spanish camarada or Italian camerata (“chamber mate”), from Medieval Latin *camarata, from Latin camara, camera (“vaulted room, chamber”); see chamber. Compare camaraderie and chamberlain.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.