English
material
Etymology

From Middle English material, from Late Latin māteriālis, from Latin māteria, from māter ("mother").

Pronunciation
  • (RP, Australia) IPA: /məˈtɪə.ɹi.əl/
  • (America, Canada) IPA: /məˈtɪɹ.i.əl/
Adjective

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.
    Antonyms: spiritual
    Don't let material concerns get in the way of living a happy life.
  3. (law, accounting) Significant.
    Antonyms: immaterial
    You've made several material contributions to this project.
    This is the most material fact in this lawsuit.
    • 1685 March 20 (Gregorian calendar), John Evelyn, “[Diary entry for 10 March 1685]”, in William Bray, editor, Memoirs, Illustrative of the Life and Writings of John Evelyn, […], 2nd edition, volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […]; and sold by John and Arthur Arch, […], published 1819, →OCLC ↗:
      discourse, which was always material, not trifling
    • 1689 (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], chapter 2, in An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], London: […] Eliz[abeth] Holt, for Thomas Basset, […], →OCLC ↗, book I, page 3 ↗:
      I shall, in the account of simple ideas, set down only such as are most material to our present purpose.
Synonyms Translations Translations Translations Noun

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, Chicago, Ill.: Field Museum of Natural History, →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.
    You'll need about a yard of material to make this.
    • 1977, Agatha Christie, An Autobiography, part II, London: Collins, →ISBN, page 4:
      Mind you, clothes were clothes in those days. There was a great deal of them, lavish both in material and in workmanship.
  5. A person, or people collectively, who are qualified for a certain position or activity.
    boy/girlfriend material
    marriage material
    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. (GUI) An element of a design language associated with a certain style of rendering on the display.
  9. (chess) All of a player's pieces and pawns on the chessboard.
Synonyms Related terms Translations Translations Translations Translations Translations Translations Verb

material (third-person singular simple present materials, present participle materialling, simple past and past participle materialled)

  1. (obsolete, transitive) To form from matter; to materialize.
    • 1642, Tho[mas] Browne, “(please specify the page)”, in Religio Medici. […], 4th edition, London: […] E. Cotes for Andrew Crook […], published 1656, →OCLC ↗:
      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.


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