Mismate

Part of speech: verb, noun

Definitions

1. To join or couple two things together in an unsuitable or improper way
2. To pair things that do not fit well or are not properly suited to one another
3. To match or combine items incorrectly, resulting in an ill-fitting or inappropriate pairing

Etymology: "Mismate" is a plain compound: the prefix "mis-", meaning wrongly or badly, attached to "mate". The "mate" half is the older word for a companion or partner, as in a spouse or a fellow worker, and the combination describes a pairing that goes wrong, most often a poor match between two people or things that were meant to go together. The result is a straightforward formation rather than a borrowed or coined term with a dramatic history. Its meaning follows directly from its parts, so the word needs no further story to make sense.

Synonyms: mismatch, misalign

Antonyms: match, align