deathmatch

English

Etymology

From death +‎ match.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈdɛθ.mæt͡ʃ/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

Noun

deathmatch (plural deathmatches)

1. (video games) A competitive mode found in first-person shooter games in which competitors attempt to assassinate one another.

   Synonym: free-for-all

   • 2013, Matt Fox, The Video Games Guide:

     There are only eight levels but the varied game modes (including time attacks, survivals, team deathmatches, hunts, and sieges) in both single and multi-player keeps things interesting.

   • 2023 May 8, Shay Robson, “Valorant players plead with Riot for overdue Deathmatch rework”, in Dexerto‎^[1]:

     The player continued to describe their own experience with deathmatch, explaining sometimes it takes several minutes for the deathmatch to load — meaning by the time they spawn, the game is almost over.

Derived terms

• deathmatcher
• team deathmatch

 

Related terms

• cage match

Translations

competitive mode

• Finnish: tappomatsi
• French: match à mort m, combat à mort m
• German: Deathmatch (de) n
• Polish: deathmatch (pl) m
• Russian: детма́тч (ru) m (detmátč)
• Spanish: todos contra todos

See also

• battle royale
• deathmarch

Verb

deathmatch (third-person singular simple present deathmatches, present participle deathmatching, simple past and past participle deathmatched)

1. (video games, transitive) To compete against in a deathmatch.
   • Doom video game (id Software, 1993): message shown when quitting

     If I were your boss, I'd deathmatch ya in a minute!

2. (video games, intransitive) To take part in deathmatch gaming.