matey
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
A fellow sailor; often used affectedly, especially when portraying a pirate.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
Ahoy mateys, scrub the deck!
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
A dockyard worker.
Register: slang
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “matey” mean?
A fellow sailor; often used affectedly, especially when portraying a pirate.
Is “matey” formal or informal?
matey is generally slang.