contŭbernālis, is, comm. (abl. contubernale. Pomp. ap. Charis. p. 99 P., or Com. Rel. v. 73, where Rib. reads contubernaleio; usu. -nali, Macr. S. 2, 4, 29; Dig. 40, 7, 31, § 1; 50, 16, 220, § 1) [contubernium].
I Milit. t. t.
A A tent-companion or comrade (usu. ten men and a decanus in one tent), Cic. Lig. 7, 21; id. Planc. 11, 27; id. Sull. 15, 44; Curt. 6, 2, 16; Tac. H. 1, 23; Veg. Mil. 2, 8 and 13; Dig. 13, 6, 21, § 1; Inscr. Orell. 3557; cf. Dict. of Antiq.—
B A young man who, in order to become familiar with military service, attended a general in war, an attendant : Q. Pompeio proconsuli, Cic. Cael. 30, 73: Saturnini, id. Planc. 11, 27; Suet. Caes. 42.—
II Transf. from military affairs.
A In gen., a comrade, companion, mate , Cic. Fam. 9, 20, 1; id. Fl. 17, 41: illi in consulatu, id. Brut. 27, 105; cf.: meus in consulatu, id. Sull. 12, 34: praeclarae (ironically of harlots), Cael. ap. Quint. 4, 2, 123 Spald.; also, iron.: Quirini, i. e. Caesar, whose statue stood in the temple of Quirinus , Cic. Att. 13, 28, 3; cf. id. ib. 12, 45, 3, and Suet. Caes. 76.—
B In partic., in colloq. lang., the husband or wife of a slave (given by their master); masc. , Col. 12, 1, 1; 12, 3, 7; fem. , id. 1, 8, 5; Petr. 57, 6; Plin. 36, 12, 17, § 82; Dig. 50, 16, 220.— Hence, facete: nisi illa nos volt ... omnis crucibus contubernalis dari, qs. to be united in wedlock with the cross , Plaut. Mil. 2, 2, 28.