marriage brokern.
/ˈmarɪdʒ ˌbrəʊkə/, U.S. /ˈmɛrɪdʒ ˈˌbroʊkər/ A matchmaker, a person who arranges marriages for a fee (in later use, esp. in Jewish society). In extended use: a person who arranges an industrial or commercial union, merger, etc.
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society > society and the community > kinship or relationship > marriage or wedlock > match-making > [noun] > match-maker
broker1377
marriage-maker1591
proxenete1609
matcher1611
ring-carriera1616
matchmaker1638
match-broker1640
marriage broker1662
marriage-bawd1676
match-monger1680
flesh-broker1699
wife broker1700
black-sole1725
marriage-monger?1748
Blackfoot1808
blackleg1825
society > society and the community > kinship or relationship > marriage or wedlock > match-making > [noun] > match-maker > where arranged match is usual
nakodo1880
shadchan1882
marriage broker1892
1662 M. W. (title) A comedy called the marriage broaker.
1681 T. Otway Souldiers Fortune iv. i. 43 Make me a Match-maker? a filthy Marriage Broker.
1892 I. Zangwill Children of Ghetto I. 18 The same mould covers them all—..the marriage-brokers repose with those they mated.
1932 L. Golding Magnolia St. i. ii. 32 She didn't marry again, though she was only in the middle thirties when he died and the marriage-brokers got busy.
1979 Economist 29 Dec. 30/2 The Economist trotted around the established corridors of power and visited the (impressive) new marriage brokers at the China International Trust and Investment Corporation.
1990 Mirabella Dec. 60/3 Charter 77..now ‘serves as part sounding board, liaison office, resource center and marriage broker’ for joint United States/Czech projects.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2000; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1662