Matching

Part of speech: adjective, noun

Pronunciation: /ˈmæt͡ʃɪŋ/

Definitions

1. An occurrence where two or more entities are connected or aligned A practice of creating correspondence or equivalence between items The realization of similarity or compatibility among disparate elements
2. The state of two or more things being alike or equal in some characteristic ; the process of pairing things based on shared traits or compatibility
3. A condition in which elements share resemblance or identity in certain aspects ; a methodical joining of items due to similarity or related attributes

Etymology: "Matching" is simply the present participle and gerund of "match," so its story is really the story of the verb and noun it comes from. The noun "match" in its oldest sense meant a companion, mate, or one suited to another, and it descends from Old English "mæċċa," which carried the same idea of a partner or equal. Over time the sense of two things being paired or suited to each other grew out of that root, and the verb "to match," meaning to be paired with or to marry, later came from the noun. The adjective sense, "alike in appearance," follows naturally from that idea of pairing. Two things that are matched are two things that go together, and so they are alike or correspond.

Synonyms: complementary, coordinating, harmonizing, suitable, congruent

Antonyms: dissimilar, incompatible, unrelated, discordant, clashing