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.
His cellmate was most recently received in the prison system from Alameda County on Jan. 28, 2019. Harry Harris, Mercury News, 29 May 2025 His cellmate, Gene (LaBeouf), raises that question. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 2 May 2025 The two argued, the cellmate said, and when Williams woke up in the morning, Yarborough was dead. Gina Barton, USA Today, 2 May 2025 The rest of the film takes place in a prison, where Henry’s gruff but philosophical cellmate, Gene (Shia LaBeouf), tries to teach him the ways of the world. Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 30 Apr. 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cellmate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cellmate. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!