Etymology From com- (“joint”) + māter (“mother”). Pronunciation (Classical Latin) IPA(key): /komˈmaː.ter/, [kɔmˈmäːt̪ɛr] (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): /komˈma.ter/, [komˈmäːt̪er] Noun commāter f (genitive commātris); third declension (Late Latin) godmother (in relation to godchild or fellow godparent or parent) (informal) a female companion, buddy Declension Third-declension noun. More information Case, Singular ... Case Singular Plural Nominative commāter commātrēs Genitive commātris commātrum Dative commātrī commātribus Accusative commātrem commātrēs Ablative commātre commātribus Vocative commāter commātrēs Close Coordinate terms compater Descendants Balkan Romance: Romanian: cumătră (possibly) Italo-Romance: Italian: comare Neapolitan: cummà Sicilian: cummari Gallo-Romance: Catalan: comare French: commère Ibero-Romace: Extremaduran: comairi Galician: comadre Mirandese: cumadre Portuguese: comadre Spanish: comadre References commater in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.