LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · masculinethird declension

compater

compater m (genitive compatris)
Classical[ˈkɔm.pa.tɛr]Ecclesiastical[ˈkɔm.pa.ter]

Meaning

  1. Late Latinmasculinegodfather (in relation to godchild or fellow godparent or parent)
  2. informalmasculinea male companion, buddy

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativecompatercompatrēs
genitivecompatriscompatrum
dativecompatrīcompatribus
accusativecompatremcompatrēs
ablativecompatrecompatribus
vocativecompatercompatrēs

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ḱe?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*ḱóm
  3. Proto-Italic*kom
  4. Proto-Italic*kom-
  5. Latincompater

Proto-Indo-European *peh₂-? Proto-Indo-European *-tḗr Proto-Indo-European *ph₂tḗr Proto-Italic *patēr Latin pater Latin compater From com- (“joint”) + pater (“father”).

Descendants
  • Catalancompare
  • Englishcompeerfrom Old French comper
  • Frenchcompèrefrom Old French comper
  • Englishcomperefrom Old French comper
  • Englishcompèrefrom Old French comper
  • Italiancompare
  • Englishgoombahfrom Neapolitan cumpà
  • Spanishcumpafrom Neapolitan cumpà
  • Portuguesecompadrefrom Old Galician-Portuguese compadre
  • Spanishcompadrefrom Old Spanish cuémpadre

Quick answers

What does compater mean in Latin?
compater, a noun, means “godfather (in relation to godchild or fellow godparent or parent); a male companion, buddy”.
What is the genitive of compater?
The genitive singular is compatris. compater is masculine, third declension.
How do you pronounce compater?
In classical Latin, [ˈkɔm.pa.tɛr]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈkɔm.pa.ter].
Where does compater come from?
Proto-Indo-European *ḱe? → Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm → Proto-Italic *kom → Proto-Italic *kom- → Latin compater.