Buddy, pal, mate, homie. Derived from the Romani word kent (meaning a companion or fellow), which historically entered Russian through criminal argot before completely integrating into mainstream youth and urban slang. Informal, and friendly noun for a close male friend or associate (мы с кентами пошли в бар — “me and my buddies went to a bar”). It can also be used as a verb (кентоваться — to hang out/be friends with).
О ненадежном, подозрительном человеке скажут: «Сегодня кент, а завтра — мент».
An unreliable, suspicious person will be said to be “a friend today and a cop tomorrow”.
(Фима Жиганец, Жемчужины босяцкой речи, 1999)
