Bunkmate
/ˈbʌŋk.meɪt/noun
A person who shares a bunk or sleeping berth with another person.
Did you know?Mate traces back to a Germanic word for a person who ate meals with you, making a bunkmate linguistically a much closer companion than the word first suggests.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*gamatjōn
“A companion who shares food; literally, one who eats together”
Middle Low German
Middle Low German
gemate
“A companion or table companion”
14th Century
English
mate
“A companion, associate, or partner”
18th Century
English
bunk
“A built-in sleeping berth, especially on a ship or in shared quarters”
20th Century
English
bunkmate
“A person sharing one’s bunk or sleeping berth”