Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The act of taking a mate, or pairing, as by birds.
  • noun See the quotation.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Fitting into or onto a corresponding part, as a matched plug and socket.
  • noun zoology pairing of organisms for copulation.
  • verb Present participle of mate.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun the act of pairing a male and female for reproductive purposes

Etymologies

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Examples

  • On the aspect of a possible underlying genetic predisposition to racial selectivity in mating ...

    The Volokh Conspiracy » Interracial Marriage Rates Going Up 2010

  • It turns out that in some pulmonates mating is anatomically reciprocal, while in others unilateral (for example, see Davison & Mordan, 2007).

    Archive 2009-05-01 AYDIN 2009

  • Women need to be more selective about choosing partners, especially under short-term mating conditions, because they're the ones who must care for their young.

    Mark Matousek: Why Men and Women Make Different Ethical Choices Mark Matousek 2011

  • Prior research by the same researchers (also adopting the Social Relations Lens Model) found that men with a long-term mating orientation (which is correlated with reduced levels of extraversion) and shy men (which is correlated with higher levels of neuroticism) get the short end of the stick in rapid mate-selection settings such as speed dating.

    Who Is Popular at First Sight? 2011

  • Women need to be more selective about choosing partners, especially under short-term mating conditions, because they're the ones who must care for their young.

    Mark Matousek: Why Men and Women Make Different Ethical Choices Mark Matousek 2011

  • Now, we are clear as she is interested in mating with her sister (Molly) and not her brother (Scofield).

    My cat is a Lesbian 2008

  • … If you like someone and want to meet them and date them, people who have the dark triad traits appear to be more successful at facilitating short-term mating.

    Don’t Bring Home a White Boy KARYN LANGHORNE FOLAN 2010

  • Kob Antelopes experience lesbian sex twice every hour (wow!) and 8 percent of their activities during mating is homosexual orientated.

    Archive 2008-10-01 2008

  • Yes, money is spent flying the shuttle back, and there is a small chance of hazard to the Orbiter in mating, flying cross-country, and demating.

    PAO Snarkiness at JSC - NASA Watch 2008

  • Now, we are clear as she is interested in mating with her sister (Molly) and not her brother (Scofield).

    Archive 2008-03-01 2008

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