companen.
Misprint for company n., explained by N.E.D. (1891) as ‘a. F. compain (now a schoolboy word) “chum”, originally nom[inative] of compagnon’, and defined as ‘a companion’. Other editions of the work cited in quot. 1647 have company or companie.
ΘΚΠ
society > society and the community > social relations > association, fellowship, or companionship > a companion or associate > [noun]
yferec870
brothereOE
ymonec950
headlingOE
ferec975
fellowOE
friendOE
eveningOE
evenlinglOE
even-nexta1225
compeerc1275
monec1300
companiona1325
partnerc1330
peerc1330
neighbour?c1335
falec1380
matec1380
makec1385
companya1425
sociatec1430
marrow1440
partyc1443
customera1450
conferec1450
pareil?c1450
comparcionerc1475
resortc1475
socius1480
copartner?1504
billy?a1513
accomplice1550
panion1553
consorterc1556
compartner1564
co-mate1576
copemate1577
competitor1579
consociate1579
coach-companion1589
comrade1591
consort1592
callant1597
comrado1598
associate1601
coach-fellow1602
rival1604
social1604
concomitanta1639
concerner1639
consociator1646
compane1647
societary1652
bor1677
socius1678
interessora1687
companioness1691
rendezvouser1742
connection1780
frater1786
matey1794
pardner1795
left bower1829
running mate1867
stable companion1868
pard1872
buddy1895
maat1900
bro1922
stable-mate1941
bredda1969
Ndugu1973
1647 tr. J. A. Comenius Janua Linguarum Reserata (rev. ed.) xliv. §476 Some guide or compane that knoweth well the way [L. & itineris dux comesve peritus].
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2014; most recently modified version published online September 2019).
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n.1647