match
MATCH
/mætʃ/
An instance where two people on a dating app have both indicated interest in each other (e.g., both swiped right).
While it sounds final, a 'match' is only the beginning of a potential interaction, not a guarantee of a date.
The story behind the word. From the Old English 'maecca', meaning a companion, mate, or one of a pair. It has always carried the connotation of two things that belong together.
Word relationships
- pair: A pair is just two things together; a match implies a specific suitability or mutual choice.
- mismatch: Two things or people that do not go well together.
Word family
- matching (adjective): Corresponding in pattern, color, or design.
Collocations
- perfect match
- new match
- match made in heaven
- matching algorithm
Idioms & expressions
- meet your match
Example sentences
- "It's a Match! You and Sarah have liked each other." A notification from an app. (Tinder UI)
- "I got five matches today, but only one of them actually messaged me." Discussing dating success.
Memory hook
Two 'M's—Me and My partner. Mutual interest.
When not to use
Don't confuse with a 'match' in sports (a game) or a 'match' for lighting a fire.
Fun facts
- The first computer-based matchmaking service, 'Operation Match', was started by Harvard students in 1965.
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