Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “matchmake” come from?

matchmake (English) comes from English matchmaking, from English match, from Middle English macche, from Old English ġemæċċa, from Old English ġemaca, from Old English ġe-, from Proto-West Germanic ga-, from Proto-Germanic ga- — resin, gum; to say, speak.

matchmake (English): To do matchmaking: to set up a date between two...

Definitions

  1. To do matchmaking: to set up a date between two...

Ancestry of “matchmake”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmatchmakingAn attempt to make two people romantically...
2EnglishmatchA competitive sporting event such as a boxing...
3Middle Englishmacche—
4Old Englishġemæċċa—
5Old Englishġemacaa mate, an equal, companion, peer; companion,...
6Old Englishġe-—
7Proto-West Germanicga-used as an intensifier for verbs, indicating...
8Proto-Germanicga-Indicates association or togetherness; co-;...
9Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
10Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
11Middle Englishkyt—
12Germankitt—
13Old High Germankuti—
14Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
15Proto-Germanickweduzresin
16Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷet- →