  We show combinatorially that the higher-order matching polynomials of several
families of graphs are d-orthogonal polynomials. The matching polynomial of a
graph is a generating function for coverings of a graph by disjoint edges; the
higher-order matching polynomial corresponds to coverings by paths. Several
families of classical orthogonal polynomials -- the Chebyshev, Hermite, and
Laguerre polynomials -- can be interpreted as matching polynomials of paths,
cycles, complete graphs, and complete bipartite graphs. The notion of
d-orthogonality is a generalization of the usual idea of orthogonality for
polynomials and we use sign-reversing involutions to show that the higher-order
Chebyshev (first and second kinds), Hermite, and Laguerre polynomials are
d-orthogonal. We also investigate the moments and find generating functions of
those polynomials.
