compere

C3O1M3P3E1R1E1
UK/ˈkɒmpɛː(ɹ)/US/ˈkɑːmpeɹ/

noun

A master of ceremonies, especially for a television, variety, or quiz show.

“I will be compering for next week's Village Fete.”

Similar
UncommonScrabble 13

Meanings

compere1

nouncompere (plural comperes)

plural comperes · alternative compère

  1. CommonwealthIrelandUKA master of ceremonies, especially for a television, variety, or quiz show.

    Every year I am the compere for our Church Quiz Night.

    3 more examples

    The compere came onto the stage holding the gold envelope that contained the winner's name.

    2008, Kerry Katona, The Footballer's Wife, →ISBN, page 157

    Not only for his fighting expertise but also reminiscent of a compere in a cabaret show working the crowd, as a build up to the main event.

    2012, Steve Taberner, The Wigan Hammer: The Autobiography by Steve Taberner, AuthorHouse, →ISBN, page 249

    They were barely settled when the final song came to an end; the audience began to applaud and after a few more seconds the voice of the compere came over the PA.

    2012, Sue Welfare, One Night Only, HarperCollins, →ISBN, unnumbered page
verbcompere (third-person singular simple present comperes, present participle compering, simple past and past participle compered)

present singular third person comperes · participle present compering · participle past compered · past compered · alternative compère

  1. intransitivetransitiveTo emcee, to act as compere.

    I will be compering for next week's Village Fete.

Compere2

proper nounCompere (plural Comperes)

plural Comperes

Synonyms & antonyms

verbact as a master of ceremonies

Similar
Broader

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latincom-“with”
  2. Late Latincompater“godfather”
  3. Old Frenchcomper
  4. Frenchcompère“partner, accomplice”
  5. Englishcompere

A borrowing of French compère (“partner, accomplice”), from Old French comper, from Late Latin compater (“godfather”), from Latin com- (“with”) + pater (“father”). Doublet of compeer, compadre, and goombah.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Polish mistrz ceremonii, mistrzyni ceremonii
  • mistrz ceremoniihost at a formal event
  • mistrzyni ceremoniihost at a formal event
  • konferansjerhost at a formal event
  • konferansjerkahost at a formal event

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

compere. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/compere

MLA

“compere.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/compere. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “compere,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/compere.

Source: compere on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.