Compadrazgo translates from Spanish as co-parenthood. It basically consists of a sociocultural mechanism predominant in Ibero-American kinship relations that incorporates non-kin into one's family in a ritualized, ideological fashion. A salient feature of Ibero-American culture, compadrazgo is mostly modeled after the elemental spiritual affiliation established between the parents and godparents of a child over his/her baptism. Notwithstanding its sacramental origins, the practice expanded to dozens of religious, semireligious, and, especially, secular optional occasions that usually institute an intimate bond of quasi-sacrosanct kin-like relationship between the participating adults. These voluntary relationships carry a complex behavioral and linguistic formalism, as well as reciprocal economic/material maximization. Friendship is highly valued among Ibero-Americans and the glosses compadres (masculine/neutral/plural) and comadres (feminine/plural) have become equivalent to chums or buddies. Although there is an identifiable sociocultural contour, anthropologists have found a great variety of compadrazgo types among Ibero-Americans, both at home and in diasporas.