In Latin, camara or camera denoted a vaulted ceiling or roof. Later, the word simply mean “room, chamber” and was inherited by many European languages with that meaning. In the Spanish, the word became cámara, and a derivative of that was camarada “a group of soldiers quartered in a room” and hence “fellow soldier, companion.” That Spanish word was borrowed into French as camarade and then into Elizabethan English as both camerade and comerade.
He enjoys spending time with his old army comrades.
the boy, and two others who are known to be his comrades, are wanted for questioning by the police
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However, they’re disbanded in the early moments of this third film as Eisenberg’s character tells a new generation of crooked magicians that his former comrades are dead.—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 1 Apr. 2025 Later down the line, after being summoned to resolve a conflict that was a front for the Emperor’s treachery, Khazan was deemed a traitor to the empire, and he and his comrades — like Ozma — were executed or exiled for aiding a traitor.—Scott McRae, Rolling Stone, 24 Mar. 2025 Who’s beefing with who? Johnny Nunez/Getty Images for the Recording Academy
On March 22, Future and Metro essentially released a breakup album from their frequent collaborator and former comrade, Drake.—Kyndall Cunningham, Vox, 17 Mar. 2025 The guard bolted into the building and in a few minutes a short figure emerged and warned them not to enter the office because his comrades were armed and were allowed to shoot in an emergency.—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 14 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for comrade
Word History
Etymology
Middle French camarade group sleeping in one room, roommate, companion, from Old Spanish camarada, from cámara room, from Late Latin camera, camara — more at chamber
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