Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “matchy-matchy” come from?

matchy-matchy (English) comes from English matchy, 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.

matchy-matchy (English): Of clothes or upholstery: excessively...

Definitions

  1. Of clothes or upholstery: excessively...

Ancestry of “matchy-matchy”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishmatchycolor-coordinated, matching, especially to an...
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- →