matter en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- [ˈmæɾɚ] (General-American)
- /ˈmɛtə/ (New-Zealand)
- [ˈmæɾə] (Australia)
- [ˈmɛɾə] (New-Zealand)
- (General-American) audio
- /ˈmætə/ (Australia)
- /ˈmætɚ/ (General-American)
- /ˈmatə/ (British, Northern-England, Southern, Standard, Wales)
- /ˈmatəɾ/ (Scotland)
- /ˈmætə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *méh₂tēr Proto-Italic *mātēr Latin māter Proto-Indo-European *-(i)yós Proto-Italic *-ijos Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -ius Latin -ia ▲ Ancient Greek ὕλη (húlē)sl. Latin māteriader. Anglo-Norman materebor. Middle English matere English matter From Middle English matere, mater, from Anglo-Norman matere, materie, from Old French materie, matiere, from Latin māteria (“wood”), from māter (“mother”), in which case cognate with Old Armenian մայր (mayr, “cedar”) and մայրի (mayri, “forest”). Doublet of Madeira, mata, mater, matrix, and mother. Displaced Middle English andweorc, andwork (“material, matter”), from Old English andweorc (“matter, substance, material”), Old English intinga (“matter, affair, business”).
Meanings
- (countable, uncountable) Material; substance. ▸ Anything with mass and volume.
- (countable, uncountable) Material; substance. ▸ Matter made up of normal particles, not antiparticles.
-
(countable, uncountable) Material; substance. ▸ A kind of substance.
vegetable matter
-
(countable, uncountable) Material; substance. ▸ Printed material, especially in books or magazines.
He always took some reading matter with him on the plane.
- (countable, uncountable) Material; substance. ▸ Aristotelian: undeveloped potentiality subject to change and development; formlessness. Matter receives form, and becomes substance.
-
(countable, uncountable) An affair, condition, or subject, especially one of concern or (especially when preceded by the) one that is problematic.
Something is the matter with him.
So in many armies, if the matter ſhould bee tried by duell betvvene tvvo Champions, the victory ſhould goe on the one ſide, & yet if it be tried by the groſſe, it vvould goe on the other ſide: for excellencies goe as it vvere by chance, but kinds goe by a more certaine Nature, as by Diſcipline in vvarre.
1597, Francis [Bacon], “Of the Colours of Good and Evill, a Fragment”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland […], published 1632, →OCLC:The matter of whether the world needs a fourth Ice Age movie pales beside the question of why there were three before it, but Continental Drift feels less like an extension of a theatrical franchise than an episode of a middling TV cartoon, lolling around on territory that’s already been settled.
2012 July 12, Sam Adams, “Ice Age: Continental Drift”, in AV Club:The diplomats met to discuss state matters.
The humor of my proposition appealed more strongly to Miss Trevor than I had looked for, and from that time forward she became her old self again;[…]. Now she had come to look upon the matter in its true proportions, and her anticipation of a possible chance of teaching him a lesson was a pleasure to behold.
1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter VIII, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:Every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Exodus xviii:22:Son of God, Saviour of men! Thy name / Shall be the copious matter of my song.
1667, John Milton, “Book III”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
-
(countable, uncountable) An approximate amount or extent.
No small matter of British forces were commanded over sea the year before.
1670, John Milton, “(please specify the page)”, in The History of Britain, that Part Especially now Call’d England. […], London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for James Allestry, […] , →OCLC:Away he goes, […] a matter of seven miles.
1692, Roger L’Estrange, “ (please specify the fable number.) (please specify the name of the fable.)”, in Fables, of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists: […], London: […] R[ichard] Sare, […], →OCLC:[…] I have Thoughts to tarry a ſmall Matter in Town, to learn ſomewhat of your Lingo firſt, before I croſs the Seas.
1700, [William] Congreve, The Way of the World, a Comedy. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, Act III, scene xv, page 47:I stayed for a matter of months.
-
(countable) Legal services provided by a lawyer or firm to their client in relation to a particular issue.
Please find attached an invoice for three outstanding matters.
-
(countable, obsolete, uncountable) Essence; pith; embodiment.
He is the matter of virtue.
1611, Ben Jonson, Oberon, the Faery Prince:
-
(countable, obsolete, uncountable) (The) inducing cause or reason, especially of anything disagreeable or distressing.
And this is the matter why interpreters upon that passage in Hosea will not consent it to be a true story, that the prophet took a harlot to wife.
1643, J[ohn] M[ilton], The Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce: […], London: […] T[homas] P[aine] and M[atthew] S[immons] […], →OCLC:
- (countable, dated, uncountable) Pus.
-
(uncountable) Importance.
What matter if we unrewarded must strive, / If Wall Street and gamblers around it may thrive? / What matter if we doubly pay for our food / To support the monopolist kings of the road?
1880, Bernard Nulty, The Patriot Chief: And Other Poems, page 211:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| matters | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Antonyms
Deriveds
some little matter · strange quark matter · neutron matter · no matter how one slices it · mind over matter · Matter of Britain · another matter · non-baryonic dark matter · gray matter · subject-matter · no matter · matter-of-fact · strange matter · matter-of-factness · as a matter of fact · no laughing matter · front-matter · baryonic dark matter · end matter · matterative · matter of law · nonmatter · condensed matter · as a matter of law · faecal matter · starmatter · a little matter · fact of the matter · printed matter · magmatter · matternet · shadow matter · organic matter · bymatter · anti-matter · matter of time · neutron-degenerate matter · white matter · subject matter jurisdiction · mirror matter · warm dark matter · take matters into one's own hands · mattergy · degenerate matter · mattery · protomatter · fecal matter · overmatter · matter of life or death · grey matter · as a matter of factly · matter-of-factish · matter-of-factly · fæcal matter · biomatter · inscribed matter · upon the whole matter · baryonic matter · quark matter · what's the matter · phase of matter · matterwave · let the matter drop · take the matter into one's own hands · matterlike · dark matter · a matter · dry matter · matterless · body matter · a small matter · upon the matter · no matter that · what is the matter · matter at hand · matter of fact · condensed matter physicist · matterful · some small matter · thank you for your attention to this matter · particulate matter · strongly symmetric matter · matter of course · programmable matter · front matter · state of matter · back matter · condensed matter physics · matter of life and death · cold dark matter · matter painting · weakly symmetric matter · matter of record · mattersome · proto-matter · hot dark matter · back-matter · subject matter · light matter · no matter what · for that matter
Synonyms
material · hyle · stuff · substance · res
Translations (311)
be пыта́нне (reason for concern) · ota ماده (basic structural component of the universe) · cmn 物質 /物质 (basic structural component of the universe) · ca assumpte (reason for concern) · cmn 事情 (reason for concern) · ja 物質 (non-antimatter matter) · la materia (kind of substance) · sh ма̀те̄рија (kind of substance) · ru вещество́ (kind of substance) · ur بات (situation, condition, subject or affair) · uk речовина́ (kind of substance) · sl materija (basic structural component of the universe) · hu anyag (non-antimatter matter) · ne पदार्थ (basic structural component of the universe) · vi vật chất (basic structural component of the universe) · it materia (non-antimatter matter) · uz modda (basic structural component of the universe) · cmn 物質 /物质 (kind of substance) · uk мате́рія (basic structural component of the universe) · ca matèria (kind of substance) · hu ok (cause) · ml ദ്രവ്യം (basic structural component of the universe) · uz materiya (basic structural component of the universe) · mi take (situation, condition, subject or affair) · hu dolog (situation, condition, subject or affair) · sga adbar (kind of substance) · ja 問題 (reason for concern) · sv ärende (reason for concern) · ar مَادَّة (basic structural component of the universe) · ro materie (kind of substance) · cmn 事件 (reason for concern) · ar جِسْم (non-antimatter matter) · yi ענין (situation, condition, subject or affair) · et aine (basic structural component of the universe) · gur yelle (reason for concern) · lo ສະສານ (basic structural component of the universe) · de Stoff (kind of substance) · fr matière (basic structural component of the universe) · ro materie (non-antimatter matter) · ru по́вод (cause) · mr पदार्थ (basic structural component of the universe) · sv fråga (reason for concern) · ru вопро́с (reason for concern) · tk materiýa (basic structural component of the universe) · mi matū (basic structural component of the universe) · zu indaba (reason for concern) · lt materija (basic structural component of the universe) · sh tvȃr (basic structural component of the universe) · da stof (basic structural component of the universe) · ga damhna (basic structural component of the universe) · mi kaupapa (situation, condition, subject or affair) · enm matere (basic structural component of the universe) · de Anlass (cause) · la res (cause) · ca qüestió (situation, condition, subject or affair) · hi पदार्थ (kind of substance) · be пыта́ньне (reason for concern) · kn ದ್ರವ್ಯ (basic structural component of the universe) · yue 物質 /物质 (basic structural component of the universe) · de Materie (basic structural component of the universe) · be рэ́чыва (kind of substance) · ko 일 (reason for concern) · hu ügy (situation, condition, subject or affair) · la materia (non-antimatter matter) · ca situació (situation, condition, subject or affair) · ru де́ло (reason for concern) · kk зат (basic structural component of the universe) · fy saak (reason for concern) · ga damhna (non-antimatter matter) · mi take (reason for concern) · zu udaba class 11/10 (reason for concern) · hu anyag (kind of substance) · ja 事 (situation, condition, subject or affair) · es cuestión (reason for concern) · fr affaire (situation, condition, subject or affair) · yi מאַטעריע (basic structural component of the universe) · pt matéria (non-antimatter matter) · gu વાત (reason for concern) · ko 물질 (basic structural component of the universe) · sk hmota (basic structural component of the universe) · cs látka (kind of substance) · ja 物質 (kind of substance) · mn бодис (basic structural component of the universe) · it materia (basic structural component of the universe) · it argomento (situation, condition, subject or affair) · ro materie (basic structural component of the universe) · lv matērija (basic structural component of the universe) · ar أَمْر (situation, condition, subject or affair) · fi hätä (reason for concern) · ps ماده (basic structural component of the universe) · fi aine (basic structural component of the universe) · as পদাৰ্থ (basic structural component of the universe) · vi việc (situation, condition, subject or affair) · nan-hbl 物質 /物质 (basic structural component of the universe) · tl likhatas (basic structural component of the universe) · fr matière (kind of substance) · sl zadeva (reason for concern) · ang andweorc (basic structural component of the universe) · sh màtērija (kind of substance) · nl materie (basic structural component of the universe) · hi पदार्थ (basic structural component of the universe) · dty पदार्थ (basic structural component of the universe) · kk зат (non-antimatter matter) · pt assunto (situation, condition, subject or affair) · or ପଦାର୍ଥ (basic structural component of the universe) · zu indaba (situation, condition, subject or affair) · gu પદાર્થ (basic structural component of the universe) · hu téma (situation, condition, subject or affair) · pt matéria (basic structural component of the universe) · hu anyag (basic structural component of the universe) · ko 문제 (reason for concern) · pdt Sach (reason for concern) · be спра́ва (reason for concern) · tt материя (basic structural component of the universe) · sh ма̀те̄рија (basic structural component of the universe) · it causa (cause) · es asunto (reason for concern) · fi aine (non-antimatter matter) · cmn 事情 (situation, condition, subject or affair) · be матэ́рыя (basic structural component of the universe) · ar مَادَّة (kind of substance) · fy matearje (non-antimatter matter) · sv stoff (kind of substance) · mnc ᠪᠠᡳᡨᠠ (situation, condition, subject or affair) · bg мате́рия (basic structural component of the universe) · ja 物質 (basic structural component of the universe) · ro chestiune (situation, condition, subject or affair) · ca matèria (non-antimatter matter) · cmn 事 (reason for concern) · sv materia (non-antimatter matter) · he עילה (cause) · kmr made (basic structural component of the universe) · ug ماددا (basic structural component of the universe) · gu બાબત (reason for concern) · ro problemă (reason for concern) · id materi (basic structural component of the universe) · vi vật chất (non-antimatter matter) · new पदार्थ (basic structural component of the universe) · cmn 問題 /问题 (reason for concern) · si පදාර්ථය (basic structural component of the universe) · ro cauză (cause) · he נוֹשֵׂא (reason for concern) · gl materia (basic structural component of the universe) · la causa (cause) · es punto (situation, condition, subject or affair) · grc ὕλη (kind of substance) · ka მატერია (basic structural component of the universe) · km រូបធាតុ (basic structural component of the universe) · fi pulma (reason for concern) · it questione (situation, condition, subject or affair) · pt questão (reason for concern) · ar قَضِيَّة (reason for concern) · wuu 物質 /物质 (basic structural component of the universe) · sq lëndë (basic structural component of the universe) · he חומר \ חֹמֶר (kind of substance) · cs hmota (basic structural component of the universe) · pa ਪਦਾਰਥ (basic structural component of the universe) · hu kérdés (situation, condition, subject or affair) · sv angelägenhet (reason for concern) · ba матдә (basic structural component of the universe) · ru вещество́ (non-antimatter matter) · de Angelegenheit (situation, condition, subject or affair) · ja こと (reason for concern) · grc πρᾶγμα (reason for concern) · tg модда (basic structural component of the universe) · el ύλη (basic structural component of the universe) · sh тва̑р (basic structural component of the universe) · hi कारण (reason for concern) · mn матери (basic structural component of the universe) · th เรื่อง (situation, condition, subject or affair) · nl stof (kind of substance) · bn পদার্থ (basic structural component of the universe) · la fabula (reason for concern) · es materia (situation, condition, subject or affair) · fi materia (non-antimatter matter) · bo དངོས་པོ (basic structural component of the universe) · gur yelle (situation, condition, subject or affair) · ro fond (situation, condition, subject or affair) · la fabula (situation, condition, subject or affair) · es materia (non-antimatter matter) · mk материја (basic structural component of the universe) · la māteria (basic structural component of the universe) · grc πρᾶγμα (situation, condition, subject or affair) · ca causa (cause) · de Materie (non-antimatter matter) · hrx Materje (basic structural component of the universe) · fy saak (cause) · fi aihe (cause) · mi kiko (situation, condition, subject or affair) · ota امر (reason for concern) · tr madde (basic structural component of the universe) · cmn 物質 /物质 (non-antimatter matter) · fi ongelma (reason for concern) · ja 事件 (reason for concern) · th ธาตุ (basic structural component of the universe) · it faccenda (situation, condition, subject or affair) · uk мате́рія (kind of substance) · de Masse (kind of substance) · uk пита́ння (reason for concern) · tg материя (basic structural component of the universe) · mi take (cause) · ko 물질 (non-antimatter matter) · es tema (situation, condition, subject or affair) · fa-ira مادِّه (basic structural component of the universe) · es materia (kind of substance) · eo materio (basic structural component of the universe) · fr matière (non-antimatter matter) · is efni (basic structural component of the universe) · km វត្ថុ (kind of substance) · lo ທາດ (basic structural component of the universe) · ga ábhar (kind of substance) · th สสาร (basic structural component of the universe) · pl sprawa (reason for concern) · ky материя (basic structural component of the universe) · ln zambi (situation, condition, subject or affair) · prs مَادَّه (basic structural component of the universe) · hu gond (reason for concern) · bni zambi (situation, condition, subject or affair) · sl tvar (basic structural component of the universe) · ckb ماکە (basic structural component of the universe) · ar أَمْر (cause) · fr matière (cause) · es asunto (situation, condition, subject or affair) · sl materija (non-antimatter matter) · pt questão (situation, condition, subject or affair) · pt motivo (cause) · ko 일 (situation, condition, subject or affair) · sl snov (basic structural component of the universe) · uk спра́ва (situation, condition, subject or affair) · ca qüestió (reason for concern) · he חומר \ חֹמֶר (basic structural component of the universe) · he חומר \ חֹמֶר (non-antimatter matter) · ro subiect (situation, condition, subject or affair) · te పదార్థము (basic structural component of the universe) · hi बात (situation, condition, subject or affair) · hy նյութ (basic structural component of the universe) · ro chestiune (reason for concern) · de Angelegenheit (reason for concern) · mi matū (kind of substance) · hi पदार्थ (non-antimatter matter) · ga damhna (kind of substance) · ota امر (situation, condition, subject or affair) · th สสาร (non-antimatter matter) · hi माद्दा (basic structural component of the universe) · hi कारण (cause) · la rēs (situation, condition, subject or affair) · ur مادَّہ (basic structural component of the universe) · mai पदार्थ (basic structural component of the universe) · pdt Sach (situation, condition, subject or affair) · ru де́ло (situation, condition, subject or affair) · hi विषय (situation, condition, subject or affair) · az materiya (basic structural component of the universe) · ky иш (situation, condition, subject or affair) · kk материя (basic structural component of the universe) · ru материа́л (kind of substance) · ar مَادَّة (non-antimatter matter) · pl materia (basic structural component of the universe) · ru мате́рия (non-antimatter matter) · th วัตถุ (kind of substance) · ru мате́рия (basic structural component of the universe) · cdo 物質 /物质 (basic structural component of the universe) · fr cause (cause) · it problema (reason for concern) · sh màtērija (basic structural component of the universe) · fi tilanne (situation, condition, subject or affair) · cs důvod (cause) · sh pítānje (reason for concern) · it materia (kind of substance) · km វត្ថុ (non-antimatter matter) · cs hmota (kind of substance) · hu tárgy (situation, condition, subject or affair) · es materia (basic structural component of the universe) · eo materio (non-antimatter matter) · grc ὕλη (basic structural component of the universe) · be спра́ва (situation, condition, subject or affair) · nb stoff (basic structural component of the universe) · eo afero (situation, condition, subject or affair) · ca matèria (basic structural component of the universe) · uk спра́ва (reason for concern) · bg вещество́ (kind of substance) · eo afero (reason for concern) · ca matèria (situation, condition, subject or affair) · fi aine (kind of substance) · ms jirim (basic structural component of the universe) · ko 물질 (kind of substance) · vi vật chất (kind of substance) · cmn 事 (situation, condition, subject or affair) · es particular (situation, condition, subject or affair) · tt матдә (basic structural component of the universe) · sa द्रव्यम् (basic structural component of the universe) · sv materia (basic structural component of the universe) · hu baj (reason for concern) · tl butang (non-antimatter matter) · ro material (situation, condition, subject or affair) · th สสาร (kind of substance) · km វត្ថុ (basic structural component of the universe) · la rēs (reason for concern) · yo ọrọ̀ (reason for concern) · my ဒြပ် (basic structural component of the universe) · fy matearje (basic structural component of the universe) · fy matearje (kind of substance) · ur مُعامَلَہ (situation, condition, subject or affair) · ta பொருள் (basic structural component of the universe) · pt matéria (kind of substance) · fr question (situation, condition, subject or affair) · ug ماتېرىيە (basic structural component of the universe) · de Substanz (kind of substance) · az maddə (basic structural component of the universe) · es cuestión (situation, condition, subject or affair) · sh пи́та̄ње (reason for concern) · tl butang (basic structural component of the universe)