# master vs mate

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### master
*noun · IPA /ˈmɑːs.tə/ · frequency rank #1,250*
Someone who has control over something or someone.

### mate
*noun · IPA /meɪt/ · frequency rank #2,743*
A fellow, comrade, colleague, partner or someone with whom something is shared, e.g. shipmate, classmate.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/master-vs-mate