headmate

H4E1A1D2M3A1T1E1
/ˈhɛdmeɪt/

noun

One of the personalities, identities, or selves in a person with dissociative identity disorder or another form of multiplicity.

Scrabble 14

Meanings

nounheadmate (plural headmates)

plural headmates

  1. multiplicity slangOne of the personalities, identities, or selves in a person with dissociative identity disorder or another form of multiplicity.

    The first one of the headmates (our word for alter) I was aware of was a boy named Josh.

    2018, "The Entropy System", Toi Magazine, December 2018/January 2019, page 56
    2 more examples

    With co-fronting, typically only one headmate at a time functions as the ‘main fronter’ who does the majority of physical driving of the body, […]

    2020, Tynan Drake, "Intersectional Representation: LGBTQ+ and neurodiverse voices in transmedia fiction", paper submitted to Ball State University, page 36

    Each headmate has their own experiences, memories, emotions and requirements, thus should be spoken to and referred to in their own preferred way.

    2021, Zarah Eve, Sarah Parry, “Exploring the experiences of young people with multiplicity”, in Youth and Policy

    Synonyms: alter, systemmate

Synonyms & antonyms

nounOne of the personalities, identities, or selves in a person with dissociative identity disorder or another form of multiplicity.

Origin

From head + -mate. See head (“mind, thoughts”).

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

headmate. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/headmate

MLA

“headmate.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/headmate. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “headmate,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/headmate.

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