Lexical Definition

‎מֵרֵעַ‎ mêrêaʻ (may-ray'-ah) companion ^H:N-M
from ‎רָעָה‎ in the sense of companionship

companion, friend.

• a friend

1) companion, friend, confidential friend

See Greek: φίλος

Brown-Driver-Briggs

[‎מֵרֵעַ‎] noun masculine friend, companion (strange formation; origin dubious; Wetzst^{Syr. Dreschtafel, Z. Ethnol. 1873, 289} compare miryâ, name of bell-wether among Syrian nomads (properly [inseparable] companion), and derived from ‎ריע ֗֗֗ ‎, properly closely joined; compare Gerber^{97, 162}); — suffix ‎מֵרֵעֵ֫הוּ‎ Gen 26:26 +, ‎מְרֵעֵ֫הוּ‎ Prov 19:7 ‎מֵרֵעֶ֑ךָ‎ Judg 15:2 plural ‎מַרֵעִים‎ Judg 14:11 — companion, confidential friend, Gen 26:26 (J; compare ‎רֵעֶה‎); of bridegroom's escort Gen 14:11, 'best man' (GFM) vGen 14:20; Gen 15:2; Gen 15:6 more generally friends (|| ‎אחים‎) 2Sam 3:8; Prov 19:7; Prov 12:26 is dubious, Död Hi De and others ‎מִרְעֵהוּ‎; Toy conjectures possibly ‎(יָסֻר) מֵרָעָה‎, see further ‎תור‎.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References