English

Alternative forms

• match-making

Noun

matchmaking ‎(countable and uncountable, plural matchmakings)

1. An attempt to make two people romantically interested in each other, especially an attempt to set up a date between people or to arrange a marriage.
   • 1851: Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom's Cabin

     The marriage was highly approved of by Mrs. Shelby, who, with a little womanly complacency in match-making, felt pleased to unite her handsome favorite with one of her own class who seemed in every way suited to her;

   • 2001: The Gilmore Girls (TV, episode 1.18)

     Patty, your timing is excellent. There's Claude over there. Want me to do some matchmaking?

   • 1815: Jane Austen, Emma

     I planned the match from that hour; and when such success has blessed me in this instance, dear papa, you cannot think that I shall leave off match-making.

2. (business) A service aiming to bring together sellers and buyers or potential partners.
   • 1971: Eunice L. Watson and Arthur Cope Emlem, Matchmaking in Neighborhood Day Care: A Descriptive Study of the Day Care Neighbor Service

     ... there was evidence that they did provide information for day care matchmaking to the potential users and givers of care.

3. (video games) The act or process of locating suitable players to take part in a multiplayer game session.
4. The manufacture of matches for kindling or burning.

Translations

Verb

matchmaking

1. present participle of matchmake
   • 1700: William Congreve, The Way of the World

     Why, then, Foible's a bawd, an errant, rank match-making bawd.

   • 1876: Louisa May Alcott, Rose in Bloom

     We are a couple of old fools to be matchmaking so soon ...

   • 2002: Alias (TV, episode 2.09)

     Not to brag, but I'm kind of responsible for matchmaking you and Irina.