different between exemplary vs matchless

English

Etymology

From Middle French exemplaire (“exemplary; a copy, facsimile; an example; a sample, specimen”), from Latin exempl?ris (“exemplary; a copy, facsimile”), from exemplum (“an example; a sample; a copy or transcript”). Doublet of exemplar.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /???z?mpl??i/, /?k-/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /???z?mpl??i/, /??-/
• Hyphenation: ex?em?pla?ry

Adjective

exemplary (comparative more exemplary, superlative most exemplary)

1. Deserving honour, respect and admiration.
2. Of such high quality that it should serve as an example to be imitated; ideal, perfect.
3. Serving as a warning; monitory.
4. Providing an example or illustration.

Synonyms

• (all senses): exemplar (adjective) (obsolete)
• (serving as a warning): admonitory

Translations

Noun

exemplary (plural exemplaries)

1. (obsolete) An example, or typical instance.
2. (obsolete) A copy of a book or a piece of writing.

Synonyms

• exemplar
• paradigm

Related terms

English

Etymology 1

From match +? -less, modelled after or partly continuing Middle English makeless (“having no peer or equal, matchless”), equivalent to make +? -less. Compare Swedish makalös (“incomparable, matchless”), Danish mageløs (“matchless”).

Adjective

matchless (comparative more matchless, superlative most matchless)

1. Having no match; without equal.
   • 1819, Sir Walter Scott, Ivanhoe, ch. 8:

     [T]he Prince was to declare the victor in the first day's tourney, who should receive as prize a warhorse of exquisite beauty and matchless strength.

   • 2002, Daniel Okrent, "Books: A Prince of a Pitcher" (Review of: Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy), Time, 30 Sept.:

     It was not his matchless talent that exalted Koufax beyond his greatest contemporaries so much as it was his knowledge that character was not connected to talent.

2. Having no mate.
   • 2010, Sandra Brennan, "Movies: The Flying Matchmaker (1966)," nytimes.com, 1 June (retrieved 13 Sep 2010):

     In this comedy, a matchmaker has a matchless daughter. Try as he might, he cannot seem to find anyone for her.

Synonyms

• (without equal): incomparable, nonpareil, peerless, unequaled, unmatched, unparalleled, unsurpassed
• (having no mate): single, unattached

Derived terms

• matchlessly
• matchlessness

Translations

Etymology 2

match +? -less

Adjective

matchless (not comparable)

1. Without the use of matches for ignition.

   a matchless stove