• (America) IPA: /məˈtɪɹi.əl/
• (RP) IPA: /məˈtɪəɹɪəl/

material

1. Having to do with matter; consisting of matter.

   This compound has a number of interesting material properties.

   • 1913, Alfred Bowyer Sharpe, Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Evil

     the material elements of the universe

2. Worldly, as opposed to spiritual.

   Don't let material concerns get in the way of living a happy life.

   Antonyms: spiritual

3. (law, accounting) Significant.

   You've made several material contributions to this project.

   This is the most material fact in this lawsuit.

   • discourse, which was always material, never trifling

   • 1689 (indicated as 1690)​, [John Locke], chapter 2, in An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], London: […] Thomas Basset, […], OCLC 153628242 ↗, book I, page 3 ↗:

     I shall, in the account of simple ideas, set down only such as are most material to our present purpose.

   Antonyms: immaterial

• (related to matter) See also Thesaurus:substantial
• (worldly) mundane
• (significant) See also Thesaurus:pertinent

• German: materiell
• Italian: materiale
• Portuguese: material
• Russian: мате́риа́льный
• Spanish: material

• French: matériel
• German: materiell
• Italian: materiale
• Portuguese: material, terreno
• Russian: мате́риа́льный
• Spanish: material

• Portuguese: significativo
• Russian: ва́жный
• Spanish: significativo

material

1. Matter which may be shaped or manipulated, particularly in making something.

   Asphalt, composed of oil and sand, is a widely used material for roads.

2. Text written for a specific purpose.

   We were a warm-up act at the time; we didn't have enough original material to headline.

3. A sample or specimens for study.
   • 1992, Rudolf M[athias] Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, New York, N.Y.: Columbia University Press, →ISBN, page vii:

     With fresh material, taxonomic conclusions are leavened by recognition that the material examined reflects the site it occupied; a herbarium packet gives one only a small fraction of the data desirable for sound conclusions. Herbarium material does not, indeed, allow one to extrapolate safely: what you see is what you get{{...}

4. Cloth to be made into a garment. fabric#Noun|Fabric.

   You'll need about a yard of material to make this.

   • 1977, Agatha Christie, chapter 4, in An Autobiography, part II, London: Collins, →ISBN:

     Mind you, clothes were clothes in those days. There was a great deal of them, lavish both in material and in workmanship.

5. The people collectively who are qualified for a certain position or activity.

   boyfriend material, girlfriend material, wifey material

   John Doe is a great governor, and I also believe he is presidential material.

   He is not the only one. I believe we have lots of presidential material in various public offices.

6. Related data of various kinds, especially if collected as the basis for a document or book.
7. The substance that something is made or composed of.
8. (chess) All of a player's pieces and pawns on the chessboard.

• See also Thesaurus:material

• matter

• French: matériau, matière
• German: Material, Rohstoff
• Italian: materiale
• Portuguese: material
• Russian: материа́л
• Spanish: material

• French: matériel
• German: Material
• Portuguese: matéria
• Russian: материа́л

• French: matériel
• Italian: materiale
• Portuguese: material
• Russian: материа́л
• Spanish: material

• French: étoffe, tissu
• German: Stoff
• Italian: materiale
• Portuguese: tecido, pano
• Russian: материа́л

• Portuguese: matéria

material (materials, present participle materialling; past and past participle materialled)

1. (obsolete, transitive) To form from matter; to materialize.
   • 1643, Thomas Browne, Religio Medici

     I believe that the whole frame of a beast doth perish, and is left in the same state after death as before it was materialled unto life.