Editing Mates (section)

==Mates==

When two animals have [[mated]], especially if they have formed a monogamous pair-bond, they are said to be mates. Occasionally zoos will prefer to borrow animal terminology and refer to their intimate partner as their ‘mate’ rather than husband or wife (regardless of whether this partner is human or animal); furries sometimes do the same.

By non-zoos this is sometimes used as a general term for individuals who are somehow close or related to one another, such as flat-mates sharing the same apartment complex, room-mates sharing the same house (or in some cases, room!) or workmates being individuals with whom one works.

Due to the other connotations of the word [[mate]], many prefer not to use these terms or do so infrequently. This is similar to the way in which ‘girl-friend’ and ‘boy-friend’ once meant a friend of the mentioned gender whereas now it implies that the two are in a relationship.