Other forms: comperes
A compere is somebody who introduces the acts at an entertainment. The evening's compere, act as compere, a good compere.
It is a British word; American English says host or master of ceremonies. The job is to hold the shape of the evening together, which is why the best ones are barely noticed. It comes from the French for a godfather, by way of a sense meaning an accomplice.
1nouncompereSomebody who introduces the acts at an entertainment.
“The compere told a few jokes before introducing the first band.”
compere is a host.
French compere means a godfather, from Latin compater — com, with, plus pater, father. It came to mean an accomplice, then a host.
Latin
compater — godfather
Old French
comper
French
compère — partner, accomplice
English, today
compere
Built from
A borrowing of French compère (“partner, accomplice”), from Old French comper, from Latin compater (“godfather”), from Latin com- (“with”) + pater (“father”). a doublet of compeer and compadre and goombah.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA