cuate

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from Classical Nahuatl cōātl. Compare with Spanish acuache.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkwate/ [ˈkwa.t̪e]
• Rhymes: -ate
• Syllabification: cua‧te

Noun

cuate m or f by sense (plural cuates, feminine cuate or cuata, feminine plural cuates or cuatas) (Mexico)

1. twin (fraternal)

   Synonyms: gemelo, mellizo

2. buddy, friend

   Synonyms: amigo, camarada; see also Thesaurus:tío

Usage notes

• The Diccionario de la Real Academia Española (DRAE), 23rd edition, reports the meaning 'friend' in the Spanish of El Salvador, but it is either obsolete or very unusual in that country.

Descendants

• → Mecayapan Nahuatl: cua̱tej

Further reading

• “cuate”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 10 December 2024