playfellow

English

Etymology

From play +‎ fellow.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpleɪˌfɛləʊ/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

Noun

playfellow (plural playfellows)

1. (dated) A playmate; a companion for someone (especially children) to play with.
   • 1816 June – 1817 April/May (date written), [Mary Shelley], chapter I, in Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. […], volume I, London: […] [Macdonald and Son] for Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor, & Jones, published 1 January 1818, →OCLC, page 46:

     From this time Elizabeth Lavenza became my playfellow, and, as we grew older, my friend.

   • 1847 December, Ellis Bell [pseudonym; Emily Brontë], chapter V, in Wuthering Heights: […], volume II, London: Thomas Cautley Newby, […], →OCLC, page 101:

     "Linton is just six months younger than I am," […] "How delightful it will be to have him for a playfellow!"

   • 1912 October, Edgar Rice Burroughs, “Tarzan of the Apes”, in The All-Story, New York, N.Y.: Frank A. Munsey Co., →OCLC; republished as “The White Ape”, in Tarzan of the Apes, New York, N.Y.: A[lbert] L[evi] Burt Company, June 1914, →OCLC, page 59:

     Now she was within ten feet of the two unsuspecting little playfellows—carefully she drew her hind feet well up beneath her body, the great muscles rolling under the beautiful skin.

   • 1921 June, Margery Williams, “The Velveteen Rabbit: Or How Toys Become Real”, in Harper’s Bazar, volume LVI, number 6 (2504 overall), New York, N.Y.: International Magazine Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 110:

     "I’ve brought you a new playfellow," the Fairy said. "You must be very kind to him and teach him all he needs to know in Rabbitland, for he is going to live with you for ever and ever!"

Derived terms

• playfellowship