An archaic or dialectal term for a godparent or sponsor at baptism; a friend or companion.
From Old French compere (com- 'with' + père 'father'), related to gossip (godparent). Entered English in medieval times with Christian religious practice.
The French 'compère' and English 'compear' both meant godparent originally—modern Spanish 'compadre' kept this meaning, but English gradually narrowed godparent to a separate word while compear faded, showing how languages drift differently from shared origins.
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