cuate

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from a Nahuan language; compare Classical Nahuatl cōātl.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkwate/ [ˈkwa.t̪e]

Noun

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

1. (Mexico) twin (fraternal)

   Synonyms: gemelo, mellizo

2. (Mexico) buddy, friend

   Synonyms: amigo, camarada; see also Thesaurus:tío

Descendants

• → Mecayapan Nahuatl: cua̱tej

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.

Further reading

• “cuate”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014