Hetair-

Not to be confused with the Greek prefix Hetero-, which means other, different

Hetair- or latinicized Hetaer- is a Greek linguistic root bearing the meaning of companion (cf. Latin Socii and societas). It is used in the following terms.

Ancient Greece

 * Hetairoi (sing. Hetairos) the name of the Macedonian aristocracy and later Companion cavalry
 * Hetairai (sing. Hetaira) female sophisticated companions, courtesans.
 * Hetairideia festival of Magnesians and Macedonians.
 * Hetairiai or Ancient Greek clubs  associations of ancient Greeks who were united by a common interest or goal.
 * Hetairia or Andreia the Cretan terms for Doric Syssitia (common meals)
 * Hetaireios epithet of Zeus

Byzantium

 * Hetaireia Byzantine imperial guard. Hetaireiarches its commander.

Sociology

 * Hetaerism a term employed by 19th-century anthropologists (such as Johann Jakob Bachofen) to indicate a theoretical early state of human society characterized by the absence of the institution of marriage in any form. Women were the common property of their tribe, and the children never knew their fathers.
 * Hetaerism is also a term used to describe ancient Greek customs, especially in Classical Athens, according to which a man's wife was forbidden to accompany him to many public event. At such occasions, men sought out the company of courtesans or "Hetaerae" instead.

Modern Greece

 * Filiki Eteria a secret 19th century organization, whose purpose was to overthrow Ottoman rule over Greece and to establish an independent Greek state.
 * In modern Greek: company, corporation (e.g. Anonymi Etairia S.A)

Entomology
Hetaerina genus of damselfly