English Reference
noun

roommate

n.
US /ˈɹuˌmeɪt/ UK /ɹˈuːmeɪt/ room·mate UK spelling roommates

  1. 01 A2 Elementary

    a person who sleeps in the same room as you, like in a university dormitory.

    a person with whom one shares a single sleeping room, common in institutional settings like university dormitories or military barracks.

    Simple

    My roommate in the college dorm always stays up late studying with the desk lamp on.

    In context

    Living with a roommate in such a cramped dormitory requires a high degree of mutual respect and clear communication regarding personal boundaries.


From room + -mate.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level A2 · Elementary
Frequency Frequent
Updated