1. The act of pairing a male and female for reproductive purposes
   "the mating of some species occurs only in the spring";
   - coupling, pairing, conjugation, union, sexual union

1. Engage in sexual intercourse
   "Birds mate in the spring";
   - copulate, pair, couple
    
2. Bring two objects, ideas, or people together
   "The designer mated complementary colours in the pattern";
   - match, couple, pair, twin
    
3. (chess) place an opponent's king under an attack from which it cannot escape and thus ending the game
   "Kasparov mated his opponent after only a few moves";
   - checkmate

Derived forms: matings

Type of: beat, beat out, conjoin [formal], crush, join, sex, sex activity, sexual activity, sexual practice, shell [US], trounce, vanquish

Encyclopedia: Mating