compeer

English

Etymology

From Middle English comper, from Middle French comper, from Latin compater, compatrem. Doublet of compere as well as compadre and goombah. Influenced by folk-etymological analysis as com- +‎ peer.

(Can this⁽⁺⁾ etymology be sourced?)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kəmˈpɪə(ɹ)/, /kɒmˈpɪə(ɹ)/
• Rhymes: -ɪə(ɹ)

Noun

compeer (plural compeers)

1. (obsolete) The equal or peer of someone else; a close companion or associate.
   • 1667, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:

     And him thus answer'd soon his bold compeer.

   • 1831, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], Romance and Reality. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, pages 155–156:

     She had fallen into the common error of supposing that the author must personify his works, and that his conversation must be copy and compeer of his writings.

Verb

compeer (third-person singular simple present compeers, present participle compeering, simple past and past participle compeered)

1. To be equal with; to match.
   • c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iii]:

     In my rights, / By me invested, he compeers the best.

Anagrams

• Compere, compere, compère, precome