Mate vs. Mute — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Maham Liaqat — Updated on May 21, 2024
Mate refers to a companion or partner, while mute means silent or unable to speak.
Difference Between Mate and Mute
Table of Contents
ADVERTISEMENT
Key Differences
Mate denotes a companion, partner, or friend. It is often used informally to refer to a close friend or associate. For example, in British English, "mate" is commonly used to address a friend, such as "He's my mate from school." Mute, on the other hand, means silent or unable to speak. It can describe someone who is physically incapable of speaking or someone who chooses not to speak. For instance, "The room was mute with tension" suggests complete silence.
In social contexts, mate signifies a supportive and interactive relationship. A mate is someone with whom one shares activities, emotions, and experiences. This term often implies camaraderie and mutual support. Mute in communication indicates a lack of verbal interaction. Someone who is mute does not speak, either due to a physical condition or choice. This term emphasizes the absence of spoken words, which can affect social interaction.
While mate highlights social connection and companionship, mute underscores silence and the absence of speech. Both terms relate to human interaction but focus on different aspects—presence of a companion versus absence of spoken words.
Comparison Chart
Definition
Companion, partner, or friend
Silent or unable to speak
Social Context
Indicates companionship
Indicates silence
ADVERTISEMENT
Usage
Commonly used informally
Used to describe silence or inability to speak
Example Context
British English informal term for friend
A person who cannot speak
Emphasis
Presence of a companion
Absence of spoken words
Compare with Definitions
Mate
A companion or friend.
He went to the game with his mates.
Mute
Unable to speak due to a physical condition.
The child was born mute and communicated through sign language.
Mate
A term used to address a friend informally.
How's it going, mate?
Mute
Temporarily refraining from speech.
She was mute with shock after hearing the news.
Mate
A fellow member of a team or group.
The crew members were mates on the ship.
Mute
A device or mechanism used to dampen sound, especially in musical instruments.
The trumpet player used a mute to soften the sound.
Mate
One of a matched pair
The mate to this glove.
Mute
Refraining from producing speech or vocal sound.
Mate
A spouse or romantic partner.
Mute
(Offensive) Unable to speak.
Mate
Either of a pair of birds or other animals that associate in order to propagate.
Mute
Unable to vocalize, as certain animals.
Mate
Either of a pair of animals brought together for breeding.
Mute
Expressed without speech; unspoken
A mute appeal.
Mate
A person with whom one is in close association; an associate.
Mute
(Law) Declining to enter a plea to a criminal charge
Standing mute.
Mate
Chiefly British A good friend or companion.
Mute
Not pronounced; silent, as the e in the word house.
Mate
A person with whom one shares living quarters. Often used in combination
Advertised for a new flatmate.
Mute
Pronounced with a temporary stoppage of breath, as the sounds (p) and (b); plosive; stopped.
Mate
A deck officer on a merchant ship ranking next below the master.
Mute
(Offensive) One who is incapable of speech.
Mate
A US Navy petty officer who is an assistant to a warrant officer.
Mute
(Law) A defendant who declines to enter a plea to a criminal charge.
Mate
A checkmate.
Mute
(Music) Any of various devices used to muffle or soften the tone of an instrument.
Mate
An evergreen shrub or small tree (Ilex paraguariensis) of South America, widely cultivated for its leaves, which are used to prepare a tealike beverage.
Mute
A silent letter.
Mate
A tealike beverage, popular in South America, made from the dried leaves of this plant.Also called Paraguay tea, yerba mate.
Mute
A plosive; a stop.
Mate
An oval or rounded container or cup, traditionally made from a hollow calabash, in which this tea is prepared and served.
Mute
To soften or muffle the sound of.
Mate
To join closely or combine
An engine that is mated to a four-speed transmission.
Mute
To soften the tone, color, shade, or hue of.
Mate
To cause (organisms) to breed or bring (organisms) into close proximity for breeding.
Mute
Not having the power of speech; dumb.
Mate
To be paired for reproducing; breed.
Mute
Silent; not making a sound.
Mate
To checkmate or achieve a checkmate.
Mute
Not uttered; unpronounced; silent; also, produced by complete closure of the mouth organs which interrupt the passage of breath; said of certain letters.
Mate
A fellow, comrade, colleague, partner or someone with whom something is shared, e.g. shipmate, classmate.
Mute
Not giving a ringing sound when struck; said of a metal.
Mate
(especially of a non-human animal) A breeding partner.
Mute
A stopped consonant; a stop.
Mate
Friendly term of address to a stranger, usually male, of similar age.
Excuse me, mate, have you got the time?
Mute
An actor who does not speak; a mime performer.
Mate
(nautical) In naval ranks, a non-commissioned officer or his subordinate (e.g. Boatswain's Mate, Gunner's Mate, Sailmaker's Mate, etc).
Mute
A person who does not have the power of speech.
Mate
(nautical) A ship's officer, subordinate to the master on a commercial ship.
Mute
A hired mourner at a funeral; an undertaker's assistant.
Mate
(nautical) A first mate.
Mute
(music) An object for dulling the sound of an instrument, especially a brass instrument, or damper for pianoforte; a sordine.
Mate
A technical assistant in certain trades (e.g. gasfitter's mate, plumber's mate); sometimes an apprentice.
Mute
An electronic switch or control that mutes the sound.
Mate
The other member of a matched pair of objects.
I found one of the socks I wanted to wear, but I couldn't find its mate.
Mute
A mute swan.
Mate
A suitable companion; a match; an equal.
Mute
The faeces of a hawk or falcon.
Mate
(chess) checkmate
Mute
(transitive) To silence, to make quiet.
Mate
Senseid|en|drink}} {{alternative spelling of maté, an aromatic tea-like drink prepared from the holly yerba maté (Ilex paraguariensis).
Mute
(transitive) To turn off the sound of.
Please mute the music while I make a call.
Mate
The abovementioned plant; the leaves and shoots used for the tea
Mute
Of a bird: to defecate.
Mate
(intransitive) To match, fit together without space between.
The pieces of the puzzle mate perfectly.
Mute
(transitive) To cast off; to moult.
Mate
(intransitive) To copulate.
Mute
To cast off; to molt.
Have I muted all my feathers?
Mate
(intransitive) To pair in order to raise offspring.
Mute
To eject the contents of the bowels; - said of birds.
Mate
(transitive) To arrange in matched pairs.
Mute
The dung of birds.
Mate
(transitive) To introduce (animals) together for the purpose of breeding.
Mute
One who does not speak, whether from physical inability, unwillingness, or other cause.
Mate
To copulate with.
Mute
A letter which represents no sound; a silent letter; also, a close articulation; an element of speech formed by a position of the mouth organs which stops the passage of the breath; as, p, b, d, k, t.
Mate
(transitive) To marry; to match (a person).
Mute
A little utensil made of brass, ivory, or other material, so formed that it can be fixed in an erect position on the bridge of a violin, or similar instrument, in order to deaden or soften the tone.
Mate
To match oneself against; to oppose as equal; to compete with.
Mute
Not speaking; uttering no sound; silent.
All the heavenly choir stood mute,And silence was in heaven.
Mate
(transitive) To fit (objects) together without space between.
Mute
Incapable of speaking; dumb.
Mate
(intransitive) To come together as companions, comrades, partners, etc.
Mute
Not uttered; unpronounced; silent; also, produced by complete closure of the mouth organs which interrupt the passage of breath; - said of certain letters. See 5th Mute, 2.
Mate
To move (a space shuttle orbiter) onto the back of an aircraft that can carry it.
Mute
Not giving a ringing sound when struck; - said of a metal.
They spake not a word;But, like dumb statues, or breathing stones,Gazed each on other.
All sat mute,Pondering the danger with deep thoughts.
Mate
(chess) checkmate
Mute
A deaf person who is unable to speak
Mate
(obsolete) To confuse; to confound.
Mute
A device used to soften the tone of a musical instrument
Mate
The Paraguay tea, being the dried leaf of the Brazilian holly (Ilex Paraguensis). The infusion has a pleasant odor, with an agreeable bitter taste, and is much used for tea in South America.
Mute
Deaden (a sound or noise), especially by wrapping
Mate
Same as Checkmate.
Mute
Expressed without speech; especially because words would be inappropriate or inadequate;
A mute appeal
A silent curse
Best grief is tongueless
The words stopped at her lips unsounded
Unspoken grief
Choking exasperation and wordless shame
Mate
One who customarily associates with another; a companion; an associate; any object which is associated or combined with a similar object.
Mute
Lacking power of speech
Mate
Hence, specifically, a husband or wife; and among the lower animals, one of a pair associated for propagation and the care of their young.
Mute
Unable to speak because of hereditary deafness
Mate
A suitable companion; a match; an equal.
Ye knew me once no mateFor you; there sitting where you durst not soar.
Mute
Silent; not speaking.
The audience was mute during the performance.
Mate
An officer in a merchant vessel ranking next below the captain. If there are more than one bearing the title, they are called, respectively, first mate, second mate, third mate, etc. In the navy, a subordinate officer or assistant; as, master's mate; surgeon's mate.
Mute
To silence something, such as sound or speech.
He muted the television to take the phone call.
Mate
See 2d Mat.
Mate
To confuse; to confound.
Mate
To checkmate.
Mate
To match; to marry.
If she be mated with an equal husband.
Mate
To match one's self against; to oppose as equal; to compete with.
There is no passion in the mind of man so weak but it mates and masters the fear of death.
I, . . . in the way of loyalty and truth, . . .Dare mate a sounder man than Surrey can be.
Mate
To breed; to bring (animals) together for the purpose of breeding; as, she mated a doberman with a German shepherd.
Mate
To join together; to fit together; to connect; to link; as, he mated a saw blade to a broom handle to cut inaccessible branches.
Mate
The officer below the master on a commercial ship
Mate
A fellow member of a team;
It was his first start against his former teammates
Mate
A person's partner in marriage
Mate
An exact duplicate;
When a match is found an entry is made in the notebook
Mate
South American holly; leaves used in making a drink like tea
Mate
South American tea-like drink made from leaves of a South American holly called mate
Mate
A chess move constituting an inescapable and indefensible attack on the opponent's king
Mate
Make love;
Birds mate in the Spring
Mate
Bring two objects, ideas, or people together;
This fact is coupled to the other one
Matchmaker, can you match my daughter with a nice young man?
The student was paired with a partner for collaboration on the project
Mate
Place an opponent's king under an attack from which it cannot escape and thus ending the game;
Kasparov checkmated his opponent after only a few moves
Mate
A partner, especially in a romantic or reproductive context.
Penguins choose mates for life.
Mate
An informal term for a colleague or associate.
My workmate helped me finish the project.
Common Curiosities
Is mate used only in informal contexts?
Primarily, but it can also refer to a partner in a more formal context, such as a life partner.
What does mate mean?
Mate means a companion, partner, or friend.
Can mute refer to musical instruments?
Yes, mute can refer to a device used to dampen the sound of musical instruments.
How is mate used in British English?
In British English, mate is often used informally to refer to a friend, e.g., "How's it going, mate?"
What does mute mean?
Mute means silent or unable to speak.
Can mute be used as a verb?
Yes, mute can be used as a verb meaning to silence, e.g., "He muted the TV."
Is mate a formal term?
Mate is typically informal but can be used in more formal contexts referring to a partner.
Can mate refer to animals?
Yes, mate can refer to an animal's reproductive partner, e.g., "Birds often choose mates for life."
Can mute describe electronic devices?
Yes, mute can describe the function of silencing electronic devices, e.g., "Mute your phone during the meeting."
Can mute describe a temporary condition?
Yes, mute can describe someone who is temporarily refraining from speech, e.g., "She was mute with astonishment."
What is an example of mate in a sentence?
E.g., He met his old school mates at the reunion.
Is mute used to describe someone who chooses not to speak?
Yes, mute can describe someone who is silent by choice, e.g., "She remained mute during the meeting."
How is mate used in teamwork contexts?
Mate can refer to a fellow team member, e.g., "He worked well with his mates on the project."
What is an example of mute in a sentence?
E.g., The room was mute with tension.
Does mute imply a permanent condition?
Not necessarily; mute can describe both permanent inability and temporary silence.
Share Your Discovery
Previous Comparison
Sop vs. Sow
Next Comparison
Shotty vs. ShoddyAuthor Spotlight
Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
