Someone who shared a cradle with another person in infancy; a lifelong companion from the earliest age.
From 'cradle' + 'mate' (suffix indicating companionship, as in 'roommate' or 'classmate'). This compound creates a term for the closest possible childhood relationship.
In cultures where multiple children literally shared sleeping cradles for warmth, 'cradlemate' wasn't metaphorical—it described your very first friend, someone whose earliest memories included you.
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