cellmate

noun

cell·​mate ˈsel-ˌmāt How to pronounce cellmate (audio)
variants or less commonly cell mate
plural cellmates also cell mates
: a person who shares a prison cell with another prisoner
When his cellmates learned that his bond had been set at $1 million (and bail at $500,000), they broke into laughter and shook their heads in disbelief.Richard Behar
Within a week, guards came by at night and told me to get ready. … I said goodbye to my cellmates and gathered my things …Clare Morgana Gillis

Examples of cellmate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The movie opens in prison, where non-violent offender Rudy (Affleck) lives vicariously through his cellmate Nick. Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 25 Feb. 2025 These new charges stem from a May 2024 incident in which Davis allegedly punched Alameda County Sheriff’s Deputy Matthew Rodriguez in the face, fracturing his nose, after complaining to Rodriguez about a new cellmate Davis had been assigned. Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 29 Jan. 2025 The growing bond of the two cellmates is charted by Molina’s recounting of a fictional 1950s Hollywood musical set in South America called Kiss of the Spider Woman, featuring Ingrid Luna (Jennifer Lopez), a Dolores del Río–type star. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 27 Jan. 2025 He is distracted from his pain each night as his window dresser cellmate paints a vivid picture by re-telling his favorite MGM-style musical. Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 25 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cellmate

Word History

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cellmate was in 1839

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Cite this Entry

“Cellmate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cellmate. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

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