Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “matchmaker” come from?

Matchmaker comes from Middle English macche plus the agent suffix -er, from Old French -er, Latin -are, and ultimately Proto-Indo-European mag-.

matchmaker (English): Someone who finds suitable dates or marriage...

Definitions

  1. Someone who finds suitable dates or marriage...

Ancestry of “matchmaker”, step by step

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