Lover : a partner in a sexual or romantic relationship outside marriage. Companion : a person or animal with whom one spends a lot of time or with whom one travels. Friend : a person with whom one has a bond of mutual affection, typically one exclusive of sexual or family relations. Rival : a person or thing competing with another for the same objective or for superiority in the same field of activity. Paramour : a lover, especially the illicit partner of a married person.