Adjective
He is concerned only with his own material comforts.
The researchers included all data that was material.
Noun
paper, plastic, or other materials
She was never without reading material.
The curtains required yards of expensive material.
Recent Examples on the Web
The case and lugs have been tweaked so that light reflections better emphasize the contours of a design which the piece has had since its launch six decades ago, whilst new material/color combinations bring out the contrast between the dials and the counters/rings.
—
Nick Scott, Robb Report, 27 Mar. 2023
Both REITs admit climate risk is a material risk factor in their 10Ks.
—Shivaram Rajgopal, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2023
Read full article Learning that love wasn’t material, obsessive, or external was a journey.
—Globe Columnist, BostonGlobe.com, 20 Mar. 2023
The jury found that Murdock did not know that the BJCTA was falsely implying compliance with the Brooks Act when the BJCTA submitted its reimbursement requests and that neither Strada nor Watters made false records or statements material to the BJCTA’s reimbursement requests.
—Roy S. Johnson | Rjohnson@al.com, al, 8 Mar. 2023
My problem is material.
—David Remnick, The New Yorker, 17 Feb. 2023
Claire Crouch, a spokesperson for the district attorney’s office, said a case can proceed to trial if defense or the court determine the evidence isn’t material or relevant.
—Kelli Smith, Dallas News, 30 Mar. 2023
Ruan never cared much about money or material comfort.
—Nectar Gan, CNN, 29 Mar. 2023
Material The most important factor to consider when shopping for a rug is material since texture and fiber weave can really set the tone for the rest of the room (and impact how comfy the rug is on your feet).
—Deanne Revel, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Mar. 2023
These are 3/8 inch deep—half the thickness of the material—and 3/4 inch wide.
—Paul Steiner, Popular Mechanics, 24 Mar. 2023
This is both because the 61Wh battery is more expensive, and because our cell supplier has a substantial amount of material prepared for 55Wh.
—Sean Hollister, The Verge, 24 Mar. 2023
Other research projects had unsuccessfully tried to extract genetic material from Beethoven’s remains, but recent advances in sequencing DNA from very old samples made this new attempt possible, writes Nature News’Dyani Lewis.
—Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Mar. 2023
Second, and more importantly, is the release and analysis this week of viral and animal genetic material collected from the Huanan wet market in Wuhan, the place forever associated with the beginning of the pandemic.
—Dominic Dwyer, Fortune Well, 23 Mar. 2023
Laminate flooring is made up of layers of synthetic material; an inner core board has a photo image layer—this provides the wood grain look—and is topped with another layer for protection.
—Barbara Bellesi Zito, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Mar. 2023
There’s also a fair amount of material in the film, perhaps too much, about the battles Langley waged against the sexist, credit-hogging archaeological and academic establishment.
—Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, 23 Mar. 2023
His narrative of the saga was delivered to a rapt nation, but the details of that scandal have now been overwritten by more than four years of newer Trump material — two impeachments, an insurrection, an unrelated FBI raid of Trump’s Florida home.
—Rosalind S. Helderman, Anchorage Daily News, 22 Mar. 2023
The pressure relief devices are supposed to help regulate internal tank pressure by releasing small amounts of material and closing back up once conditions return to normal.
—Tami Abdollah, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘material.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
material
substance out of which a thing can be made: I bought the material for the drapes.
Not to be confused with:
materiel – equipment and supplies of a military force; an aggregate of things used in any business or undertaking: requisition the necessary materiel for the operation
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
ma·te·ri·al
(mə-tîr′ē-əl)
n.
1. The substance or substances out of which a thing is or can be made.
2. Something, such as an idea or information, that is to be refined and made or incorporated into a finished effort: material for a comedy.
3. materials Tools or apparatus for the performance of a given task: writing materials.
4. Yard goods or cloth.
5. A person who is qualified or suited for a position or activity: The members of the board felt that she was vice-presidential material.
adj.
1. Of, relating to, or composed of matter.
2. Of, relating to, or affecting physical well-being; bodily: «the moral and material welfare of all good citizens» (Theodore Roosevelt).
3. Of or concerned with the physical as distinct from the intellectual or spiritual: «Great men are they who see that spiritual is stronger than any material force, that thoughts rule the world» (Ralph Waldo Emerson).
4. Being both relevant and consequential; crucial: testimony material to the inquiry. See Synonyms at relevant.
5. Philosophy Of or relating to the matter of reasoning, rather than the form.
[Middle English, consisting of matter, material, from Old French, from Late Latin māteriālis, from Latin māteria, matter; see māter- in Indo-European roots.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
material
(məˈtɪərɪəl)
n
1. the substance of which a thing is made or composed; component or constituent matter: raw material.
2. facts, notes, etc, that a finished work may be based on or derived from: enough material for a book.
3. (Textiles) cloth or fabric
4. a person who has qualities suitable for a given occupation, training, etc: that boy is not university material.
adj
5. of, relating to, or composed of physical substance; corporeal
6. (Philosophy) philosophy composed of or relating to physical as opposed to mental or spiritual substance: the material world.
7. of, relating to, or affecting economic or physical wellbeing: material ease.
8. of or concerned with physical rather than spiritual interests
9. of great import or consequence: of material benefit to the workers.
10. (often foll by to) relevant
11. (Philosophy) philosophy of or relating to matter as opposed to form
12. (Law) law relevant to the issue before court: applied esp to facts or testimony of much significance: a material witness.
[C14: via French from Late Latin māteriālis, from Latin māteria matter]
maˈterialness n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
ma•te•ri•al
(məˈtɪər i əl)
n.
1. the substance of which something is made or composed.
2. something that serves as crude or raw matter to be used or developed.
3. a constituent element.
4. a textile fabric.
5. ideas or facts that can provide the basis for or be incorporated into some work: to gather material for a book.
6. materials, the articles or apparatus needed to make or do something: writing materials.
7. a person considered as suited to a particular sphere of activity: college material.
adj.
8. formed or consisting of matter; physical; corporeal: the material world.
9. relating to, concerned with, or involving matter: material forces.
10. pertaining to the physical rather than the spiritual or intellectual aspect of things: material comforts.
11. worldly; not spiritual.
12. important: to make a material difference.
13. pertinent: a material question.
14. likely to influence the determination of a case: material evidence.
15. of or pertaining to matter as distinguished from form.
[1300–50; < Late Latin māteriālis of, belonging to matter]
ma•te′ri•al•ly, adv.
ma•te′ri•al•ness, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
-Ologies & -Isms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
| Noun | 1. |  material — the tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a physical object; «coal is a hard black material»; «wheat is the stuff they use to make bread»
stuff substance — the real physical matter of which a person or thing consists; «DNA is the substance of our genes» ballast — any heavy material used to stabilize a ship or airship bedding material, bedding, litter — material used to provide a bed for animals rind — the natural outer covering of food (usually removed before eating) precursor — a substance from which another substance is formed (especially by a metabolic reaction) corpuscle, mote, particle, speck, molecule, atom — (nontechnical usage) a tiny piece of anything ammunition — any nuclear or chemical or biological material that can be used as a weapon of mass destruction floc, floccule — a small loosely aggregated mass of flocculent material suspended in or precipitated from a liquid HAZMAT — an abbreviation for `hazardous material’ used on warning signs; «NO HAZMATS IN TUNNEL» aggregate — material such as sand or gravel used with cement and water to make concrete, mortar, or plaster raw material, staple — material suitable for manufacture or use or finishing sorbate — a material that has been or is capable of being taken up by another substance by either absorption or adsorption sorbent, sorbent material — a material that sorbs another substance; i.e. that has the capacity or tendency to take it up by either absorption or adsorption diamagnet — a substance that exhibits diamagnetism mineral — solid homogeneous inorganic substances occurring in nature having a definite chemical composition rock, stone — material consisting of the aggregate of minerals like those making up the Earth’s crust; «that mountain is solid rock»; «stone is abundant in New England and there are many quarries» adhesive, adhesive agent, adhesive material — a substance that unites or bonds surfaces together sealing material — any substance used to seal joints or fill cracks in a porous surface animal material — material derived from animals fluff — any light downy material bimetal — material made by bonding together sheets of two different metals abradant, abrasive, abrasive material — a substance that abrades or wears down chemical, chemical substance — material produced by or used in a reaction involving changes in atoms or molecules composite material — strong lightweight material developed in the laboratory; fibers of more than one kind are bonded together chemically conductor — a substance that readily conducts e.g. electricity and heat dielectric, insulator, nonconductor — a material such as glass or porcelain with negligible electrical or thermal conductivity contaminant, contamination — a substance that contaminates particulate, particulate matter — a small discrete mass of solid or liquid matter that remains individually dispersed in gas or liquid emissions (usually considered to be an atmospheric pollutant) dust — free microscopic particles of solid material; «astronomers say that the empty space between planets actually contains measurable amounts of dust» elastomer — any of various elastic materials that resemble rubber (resumes its original shape when a deforming force is removed) earth, ground — the loose soft material that makes up a large part of the land surface; «they dug into the earth outside the church» emission, discharge — a substance that is emitted or released detritus — loose material (stone fragments and silt etc) that is worn away from rocks waste, waste material, waste matter, waste product — any materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted; «they collect the waste once a week»; «much of the waste material is carried off in the sewers» fiber, fibre — a slender and greatly elongated substance capable of being spun into yarn filling, fill — any material that fills a space or container; «there was not enough fill for the trench» foam — a lightweight material in cellular form; made by introducing gas bubbles during manufacture homogenate — material that has been homogenized (especially tissue that has been ground and mixed); «liver homogenate» humate — material that is high in humic acids impregnation — material with which something is impregnated; «the impregnation, whatever it was, had turned the rock blue» paper — a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses packing, packing material, wadding — any material used especially to protect something coloring material, colour, colouring material, color — any material used for its color; «she used a different color for the trim» |
| 2. |  material — information (data or ideas or observations) that can be used or reworked into a finished form; «the archives provided rich material for a definitive biography»
info, information — a message received and understood rehash — old material that is slightly reworked and used again; «merely a dull rehash of his first novel» copy — material suitable for a journalistic account; «catastrophes make good copy» |
|
| 3. |  material — artifact made by weaving or felting or knitting or crocheting natural or synthetic fibers; «the fabric in the curtains was light and semitransparent»; «woven cloth originated in Mesopotamia around 5000 BC»; «she measured off enough material for a dress»
cloth, fabric, textile artefact, artifact — a man-made object taken as a whole aba — a fabric woven from goat hair and camel hair acrylic — a synthetic fabric Aertex — a trademark for a loosely woven cotton fabric that is used to make shirts and underwear alpaca — a thin glossy fabric made of the wool of the Lama pacos, or made of a rayon or cotton imitation of that wool baize — a bright green fabric napped to resemble felt; used to cover gaming tables basket weave — a cloth woven of two or more threads interlaced to suggest the weave of a basket batik — a dyed fabric; a removable wax is used where the dye is not wanted batiste — a thin plain-weave cotton or linen fabric; used for shirts or dresses belting — the material of which belts are made bombazine — a twilled fabric used for dresses; the warp is silk and the weft is worsted; «black bombazine is frequently used for mourning garments» boucle — a fabric of uneven yarn that has an uneven knobby effect broadcloth — a closely woven silk or synthetic fabric with a narrow crosswise rib broadcloth — a densely textured woolen fabric with a lustrous finish brocade — thick heavy expensive material with a raised pattern buckram — a coarse cotton fabric stiffened with glue; used in bookbinding and to stiffen clothing bunting — a loosely woven fabric used for flags, etc. calico — coarse cloth with a bright print cambric — a finely woven white linen camelhair, camel’s hair — a soft tan cloth made with the hair of a camel camlet — a fabric of Asian origin; originally made of silk and camel’s hair camo, camouflage — fabric dyed with splotches of green and brown and black and tan; intended to make the wearer of a garment made of this fabric hard to distinguish from the background canopy — the umbrellalike part of a parachute that fills with air canvas, canvass — a heavy, closely woven fabric (used for clothing or chairs or sails or tents) cashmere — a soft fabric made from the wool of the Cashmere goat cerecloth — a waterproof waxed cloth once used as a shroud challis — a soft lightweight fabric (usually printed) chambray — a lightweight fabric woven with white threads across a colored warp chenille — a heavy fabric woven with chenille cord; used in rugs and bedspreads chiffon — a sheer fabric of silk or rayon chino — a coarse twilled cotton fabric frequently used for uniforms chintz — a brightly printed and glazed cotton fabric coating — a heavy fabric suitable for coats cobweb — a fabric so delicate and transparent as to resemble a web of a spider corduroy, cord — a cut pile fabric with vertical ribs; usually made of cotton cotton — fabric woven from cotton fibers Canton flannel, cotton flannel — a stout cotton fabric with nap on only one side crape, crepe — a soft thin light fabric with a crinkled surface cretonne — an unglazed heavy fabric; brightly printed; used for slipcovers and draperies crinoline — a stiff coarse fabric used to stiffen hats or clothing damask — a fabric of linen or cotton or silk or wool with a reversible pattern woven into it dungaree, jean, denim — a coarse durable twill-weave cotton fabric diamante — fabric covered with glittering ornaments such as sequins or rhinestones diaper — a fabric (usually cotton or linen) with a distinctive woven pattern of small repeated figures dimity — a strong cotton fabric with a raised pattern; used for bedcovers and curtains doeskin — a fine smooth soft woolen fabric drapery — cloth gracefully draped and arranged in loose folds duck — a heavy cotton fabric of plain weave; used for clothing and tents duffel, duffle — a coarse heavy woolen fabric edging — border consisting of anything placed on the edge to finish something (such as a fringe on clothing or on a rug) elastic — a fabric made of yarns containing an elastic material etamin, etamine — a soft cotton or worsted fabric with an open mesh; used for curtains or clothing etc. faille — a ribbed woven fabric of silk or rayon or cotton felt — a fabric made of compressed matted animal fibers vulcanized fiber, fibre, fiber — a leatherlike material made by compressing layers of paper or cloth flannel — a soft light woolen fabric; used for clothing flannelette — a cotton fabric imitating flannel fleece — a soft bulky fabric with deep pile; used chiefly for clothing foulard — a light plain-weave or twill-weave silk or silklike fabric (usually with a printed design) |
|
| 4. |  material — things needed for doing or making something; «writing materials»; «useful teaching materials»
equipment — an instrumentality needed for an undertaking or to perform a service packaging — material used to make packages railing — material for making rails or rails collectively roofing — material used to construct a roof |
|
| 5. | material — a person judged suitable for admission or employment; «he was university material»; «she was vice-presidential material»
applicant, applier — a person who requests or seeks something such as assistance or employment or admission |
|
| Adj. | 1. |  material — concerned with worldly rather than spiritual interests; «material possessions»; «material wealth»; «material comforts»
worldly, secular, temporal — characteristic of or devoted to the temporal world as opposed to the spiritual world; «worldly goods and advancement»; «temporal possessions of the church» |
| 2. | material — derived from or composed of matter; «the material universe»
substantial, material, real — having substance or capable of being treated as fact; not imaginary; «the substantial world»; «a mere dream, neither substantial nor practical»; «most ponderous and substantial things»- Shakespeare nonmaterial, immaterial — not consisting of matter; «immaterial apparitions»; «ghosts and other immaterial entities» |
|
| 3. | material — directly relevant to a matter especially a law case; «his support made a material difference»; «evidence material to the issue at hand»; «facts likely to influence the judgment are called material facts»; «a material witness»
immaterial — of no importance or relevance especially to a law case; «an objection that is immaterial after the fact» |
|
| 4. |  material — concerned with or affecting physical as distinct from intellectual or psychological well-being; «material needs»; «the moral and material welfare of all good citizens»- T.Roosevelt
physical — involving the body as distinguished from the mind or spirit; «physical exercise»; «physical suffering»; «was sloppy about everything but her physical appearance» |
|
| 5. | material — having material or physical form or substance; «that which is created is of necessity corporeal and visible and tangible» — Benjamin Jowett
corporeal bodied — having a body or a body of a specified kind; often used in combination; «strong-bodied»; «big-bodied» |
|
| 6. | material — having substance or capable of being treated as fact; not imaginary; «the substantial world»; «a mere dream, neither substantial nor practical»; «most ponderous and substantial things»- Shakespeare
substantial, real material — derived from or composed of matter; «the material universe» |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
material
noun
3. information, work, details, facts, notes, evidence, particulars, data, info (informal), subject matter, documentation In my version of the story, I added some new material.
adjective
1. physical, worldly, solid, substantial, concrete, fleshly, bodily, tangible, palpable, corporeal, nonspiritual the material world
3. relevant, important, significant, essential, vital, key, serious, grave, meaningful, applicable, indispensable, momentous, weighty, pertinent, consequential, apposite, apropos, germane The company failed to disclose material information.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
material
noun
1. That from which things are or can be made:
Idiom: grist for one’s mill.
2. Things needed for a task, journey, or other purpose.Used in plural:
accouterment (often used in plural), apparatus, equipment, gear, materiel, outfit, paraphernalia, rig, tackle, thing (used in plural), turnout.
3. The basic substance or essential elements of character that qualify a person for a specified role:
adjective
1. Composed of or relating to things that occupy space and can be perceived by the senses:
2. Of or preoccupied with material rather than spiritual or intellectual things:
3. Related to the matter at hand:
4. Having great significance:
The American Heritage® Roget’s Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
materiállátkamateriálnípodstatnýhmotný
materialestofmaterielstofligverdslig
ŝtofo
materiaaliraaka-ainekangas
materijal
anyagi
efniefni, vefnaîarvaraefnislegur, efnis-mikilvægur, nauîsynlegurveraldlegur, veraldar-
材料生地
재료직물
įgyti materialų pavidaląmaterialiaimaterialinismaterializacijamaterialus
audumsbūtisks, svarīgsmateriālsmateriāls, mantisks
materiálmateriálny
blagogradivomaterialmaterialenpotrebščine
materialmaterielltyg
ผ้าวัสดุ
vảivật liệu
material
[məˈtɪərɪəl]
B. N
3. materials (= equipment, components) → material(es) m(pl)
building materials → material(es) m(pl) de construcción
teaching materials → material(es) m(pl) didácticos
writing materials → artículos mpl de escritorio
Collins Spanish Dictionary — Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
material
[məˈtɪəriəl]
adj
[possessions, benefit, advantage] → matériel(le)
(= actual) in material breach of sth → en violation patente de qch materials
npl (used for work) → matériaux mpl
writing materials → matériel d’écriture
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
material
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
material
[məˈtɪərɪəl]
1. adj
a. (things, needs, success) → materiale
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
material
(məˈtiəriəl) noun
1. anything out of which something is, or may be, made. Tables are usually made from solid material such as wood.
2. cloth. I’d like three metres of blue woollen material.
adjective
1. consisting of solid(s), liquid(s), gas(es) or any combination of these. the material world.
2. belonging to the world; not spiritual. He wanted material things like money, possessions and power.
3. essential or important. evidence that is material to his defence.
maˈterially adverb
to a great or important extent. Circumstances have changed materially.
maˈterialize, maˈterialise verb
1. to take solid or bodily form. The figure materialized as we watched with astonishment.
2. (of something expected or hoped for) to happen. I don’t think her plans will materialize.
maˌterialiˈzation, maˌterialiˈsation noun
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
material
→ قُمَاش, مَادَّةٌ látka, materiál materiale, stof Material, Stoff υλικό material, tela kangas, materiaali étoffe, matière materijal materiale 材料, 生地 재료, 직물 materiaal material, materiale materiał material, tecido материал, ткань material, tyg ผ้า, วัสดุ malzeme vải, vật liệu 材料
Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
ma·te·ri·al
n. materia; asunto;
a. material; esencial.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
- What is the material?
Collins Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
English-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not to be confused with Materiel.
Various different materials classified by microstructure. Clockwise from top-left: steel kitchen container (metals), terracotta flowerpots (ceramics), plastics (polymers), and wooden pallets (composites).
Material is a substance or mixture of substances that constitutes an object. Materials can be pure or impure, living or non-living matter. Materials can be classified on the basis of their physical and chemical properties, or on their geological origin or biological function. Materials science is the study of materials, their properties and their applications.
Raw materials can be processed in different ways to influence their properties, by purification, shaping or the introduction of other materials. New materials can be produced from raw materials by synthesis.
In industry, materials are inputs to manufacturing processes to produce products or more complex materials.
Historical elements[edit]
Materials chart the history of humanity. The system of the three prehistoric ages (Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age) were succeeded by historical ages: steel age in the 19th century, polymer age in the middle of the following century (plastic age) and silicon age in the second half of the 20th century.
Classification by use[edit]
Materials can be broadly categorized in terms of their use, for example:
- Building materials are used for construction
- Building insulation materials are used to retain heat within buildings
- Refractory materials are used for high-temperature applications
- Nuclear materials are used for nuclear power and weapons
- Aerospace materials are used in aircraft and other aerospace applications
- Biomaterials are used for applications interacting with living systems
Material selection is a process to determine which material should be used for a given application.
Classification by structure[edit]
The relevant structure of materials has a different length scale depending on the material. The structure and composition of a material can be determined by microscopy or spectroscopy.
Microstructure[edit]
In engineering, materials can be categorised according to their microscopic structure:[1]: 15–17
- Ceramics: non-metal, inorganic solids
- Glasses: amorphous solids
- Metals: pure or combined chemical elements with specific chemical bonding behavior
- Polymers: materials based on long carbon or silicon chains
- Hybrids: combinations of multiple materials, for example composites.
Larger-scale structure[edit]
A metamaterial is any material engineered to have a property that is not found in naturally occurring materials, usually by combining several materials to form a composite and / or tuning the shape, geometry, size, orientation and arrangement to achieve the desired property.[2]
In foams and textiles, the chemical structure is less relevant to immediately observable properties than larger-scale material features: the holes in foams, and the weave in textiles.
Classification by properties[edit]
Materials can be compared and classified by their large-scale physical properties.
Mechanical properties[edit]
Mechanical properties determine how a material responds to applied forces.
Examples include:
- Stiffness
- Strength
- Toughness
- Hardness
Thermal properties[edit]
Materials may degrade or undergo changes of properties at different temperatures. Thermal properties also include the material’s thermal conductivity and heat capacity, relating to the transfer and storage of thermal energy by the material.
Other properties[edit]
Materials can be compared and categorized by any quantitative measure of their behavior under various conditions. Notable additional properties include the optical, electrical, and magnetic behavior of materials.[1]: 5–7
See also[edit]
- Hyle, the Greek term, relevant for the philosophy of matter
- Matter
- Category:Materials
References[edit]
- ^ a b Ashby, Michael; Shercliff, Hugh; Cebon, David (2010). Materials engineering, science, processing and design (2nd ed.). Oxford: Elsevier. ISBN 9781856178952.
- ^ Kshetrimayum, R.S. (January 2005). «A brief intro to metamaterials». IEEE Potentials. 23 (5): 44–46. doi:10.1109/MP.2005.1368916. ISSN 0278-6648. S2CID 36925376.
External links[edit]
Look up material in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
- Top Definitions
- Synonyms
- Quiz
- Related Content
- More About Material
- Examples
- British
This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity.
[ muh—teer-ee-uhl ]
/ məˈtɪər i əl /
This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity.
noun
the substance or substances of which a thing is made or composed: Stone is a durable material.
anything that serves as crude or raw matter to be used or developed: Wood pulp is the raw material from which paper is made.
any constituent element.
a textile fabric: material for a dress.
a group of ideas, facts, data, etc., that may provide the basis for or be incorporated into some integrated work: to gather material for a history of North Carolina; to write material for a comedy show.
materials, the articles or apparatus needed to make or do something: writing materials.
a person considered as having qualities suited to a particular sphere of activity: The boy’s teachers did not think he was college material.
adjective
formed or consisting of matter; physical; corporeal: the material world.
relating to, concerned with, or involving matter: material forces.
pertaining to the physical rather than the spiritual or intellectual aspect of things: material comforts.
pertaining to or characterized by an undue interest in corporeal things; unspiritual.
characterized by an overriding interest in wealth and possessions and the consumption of luxury goods and services: You could probably call him a material guy, as he’s had expensive tastes and a lust for fashion from the time he was a kid.
of substantial import; of much consequence; important: Your support will make a material difference in the success of our program.
pertinent or essential (usually followed by to): a question not material to the subject at hand.
Law. likely to influence the determination of a case: material evidence.
Philosophy. of or relating to matter as distinguished from form.
QUIZ
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There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?
Which sentence is correct?
Origin of material
1300–50; Middle English <Late Latin māteriālis of, belonging to matter. See matter, -al1
synonym study for material
OTHER WORDS FROM material
ma·te·ri·al·ness, nounpre·ma·te·ri·al, adjectivequa·si-ma·te·ri·al, adjectivequa·si-ma·te·ri·al·ly, adverb
su·per·ma·te·ri·al, nountrans·ma·te·ri·al, adjectiveun·ma·te·ri·al, adjectiveun·ma·te·ri·al·ly, adverb
WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH material
material , matériel
Words nearby material
matelot, matelote, mater, mater dolorosa, materfamilias, material, material cause, material culture, material girl, material implication, materialism
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
MORE ABOUT MATERIAL
What is a basic definition of material?
Material refers to a thing that something else is made out of. Material can also refer to cloth or can be used to describe something that is made of matter and exists in the physical world. Material has many other senses as a noun and an adjective.
If something is a housing material, it is an item that is used to build a house. Nearly anything could be a material, as long as it is possible to use it to make something else. In this sense, material is similar to the word ingredient.
- Real-life examples: Stone, wood, metal, bamboo, and brick are used as building materials. Many toys have plastic as their primary material. Glass is a common material for windows and containers.
- Used in a sentence: The box was made out of some sort of spongy material.
Material is also used to refer to the cloth or fabrics that are used in weaving, sewing, or knitting.
- Real-life examples: Wool, silk, polyester, cotton, and velvet are some common materials used to make clothing and many other products.
- Used in a sentence: The dress was made using a very soft material.
Material is used to describe something that is made of matter and exists in our physical reality. Think about something that isn’t material, like a ghost. A ghost is not material because it cannot be detected with any of our senses and is not made out of anything we can understand. Thoughts, feelings, and ideas are also not material. You can’t touch them or see them. In this sense, material is often used to contrast terms like spiritual, intangible, and metaphysical.
- Real-life examples: Everything that we can experience or detect using our senses is material. This includes all things that exist in our universe, such as people, animals, rocks, water, and the stars.
- Used in a sentence: Philosophers often think beyond the material world.
Where does material come from?
The first records of material come from around 1300. It comes from the Late Latin māteriālis, meaning “of or belonging to matter.”
Did you know … ?
How is material used in real life?
Material is a common word that has many different meanings. It is frequently used to refer to a substance that something is made of.
Just replaced the screen on my phone. This junk is made of some cheap flimsy materials
— Chey Butta (@SiriusBlackMale) January 8, 2013
Shopping with my tween and she won’t buy pants/shorts/leggings w/out pockets and made from soft material. Maybe this generation will save us all….
— Dr. Kat Milligan-Myhre ❄️ (@Napaaqtuk) June 9, 2019
The brain is an instrument that measures quantum information. Consciousness constructs the material world out of that measured information
— Deepak Chopra (@DeepakChopra) August 3, 2010
Try using material!
Is material used correctly in the following sentence?
Wood is a common material used to build tables and chairs.
Words related to material
actual, appreciable, earthly, perceptible, physical, substantial, considerable, meaningful, serious, significant, cloth, component, element, equipment, goods, ingredient, machinery, object, stuff, substance
How to use material in a sentence
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This is because all three used the same materials and pedagogical approach.
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Facebook Business Suite has the potential to make them better social media marketers, which could then have a material impact on SMB sales — and survival.
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The purse-size bag is made with whitewater-raft-shell material and eschews the typical roll-top or waterproof zipper for a double seal using strong magnets and Velcro.
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First, the placement of the audit report to be discussed on our committee’s website is behind some 300 pages of other material, as if someone were trying to bury it.
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NASA will sort out any retrieval plans for the material at a later date.
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The CDA was passed not in the name of censorship but in the name of protecting children from stumbling across sexual material.
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The genetic material can grow quickly, but are typically riddled with errors or defects.
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Cold War fears could be manipulated through misleading art to attract readers to daunting material.
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Where the U.S. once depended on its own forces to determine who was military material, this time the Iraqis will decide.
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In any case, some enterprising independent producer might have enough material for a reality-show pilot.
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Eggs and nestlings were found lying on the bare soil at the inner ends of the burrows; no nesting material was found.
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I would ask you to imagine it translated into every language, a common material of understanding throughout all the world.
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The sleeves of his doublet which protruded from his leather casing were of the same colour and material as his trunks.
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It makes out of the savage raw material which is our basal mental stuff, a citizen.
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She waited for the material pictures which she thought would gather and blaze before her imagination.
British Dictionary definitions for material
noun
the substance of which a thing is made or composed; component or constituent matterraw material
facts, notes, etc, that a finished work may be based on or derived fromenough material for a book
cloth or fabric
a person who has qualities suitable for a given occupation, training, etcthat boy is not university material
adjective
of, relating to, or composed of physical substance; corporeal
philosophy composed of or relating to physical as opposed to mental or spiritual substancethe material world
of, relating to, or affecting economic or physical wellbeingmaterial ease
of or concerned with physical rather than spiritual interests
of great import or consequenceof material benefit to the workers
(often foll by to) relevant
philosophy of or relating to matter as opposed to form
law relevant to the issue before court: applied esp to facts or testimony of much significancea material witness
Derived forms of material
materialness, noun
Word Origin for material
C14: via French from Late Latin māteriālis, from Latin māteria matter
Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Defenition of the word material
- The substance of which a product is made or composed.
- Worldly, as opposed to spiritual.
- Having to do with matter.
- having material or physical form or substance; «that which is created is of necessity corporeal and visible and tangible» — Benjamin Jowett
- something made by weaving or felting or knitting or crocheting natural or synthetic fibers
- derived from or composed of matter; «the material universe»
- directly relevant to a matter especially a law case; «his support made a material difference»; «evidence material to the issue at hand»; «facts likely to influence the judgment are called material facts»; «a material witness»
- concerned with or affecting physical as distinct from intellectual or psychological well-being; «material needs»; «the moral and material welfare of all good citizens»- T.Roosevelt
- concerned with worldly rather than spiritual interests; «material possessions»; «material wealth»; «material comforts»
- equipment needed for doing or making something; «writing materials» or «birth-control material»
- information (data or ideas or observations) that can be reworked into a finished form; «the archives provided rich material for a definitive biography»
- a person judged suitable for admission or employment; «he was university material»; «she was vice-presidential material»
- the tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a physical object; «coal is a hard black material»; «wheat is the stuff they use to make bread»
- written material (especially in books or magazines); «he always took some reading matter with him on the plane»
- having substance or capable of being treated as fact; not imaginary; «the substantial world»; «a mere dream, neither substantial nor practical»; «most ponderous and substantial things»- Shakespeare
- artifact made by weaving or felting or knitting or crocheting natural or synthetic fibers; «the fabric in the curtains was light and semitraqnsparent»; «woven cloth originated in Mesopotamia around 5000 BC»; «she measured off enough material for a dress»
- things needed for doing or making something; «writing materials»; «useful teaching materials»
- information (data or ideas or observations) that can be used or reworked into a finished form; «the archives provided rich material for a definitive biography»
- artifact made by weaving or felting or knitting or crocheting natural or synthetic fibers
- things needed for doing or making something
- information (data or ideas or observations) that can be used or reworked into a finished form
- a person judged suitable for admission or employment
- the tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a physical object
- having substance or capable of being treated as fact; not imaginary
- derived from or composed of matter
- having material or physical form or substance
- directly relevant to a matter especially a law case
- concerned with or affecting physical as distinct from intellectual or psychological well-being
- concerned with worldly rather than spiritual interests
Synonyms for the word material
-
- background
- bits and pieces
- cloth
- corporeal
- data
- fabric
- facts
- ideas
- important
- information
- items
- matter
- notes
- objects
- pertinent
- real
- relevant
- significant
- stuff
- substance
- substantial
- textile
- things
Similar words in the material
-
- bodied
- bodily
- corporal
- corporate
- crucial
- embodied
- incarnate
- material
- material’s
- materialism
- materialism’s
- materialist
- materialist’s
- materialistic
- materialistically
- materialists
- materialization
- materialization’s
- materialize
- materialized
- materializes
- materializing
- materially
- materials
- physical
- real
- reincarnate
- relevant
- substantial
- tangible
- touchable
- worldly
Meronymys for the word material
-
- edging
- filling
- hem
- pick
- warp
- weft
- woof
Hyponyms for the word material
-
- aba
- aba cloth
- abradant
- abrasive
- abrasive material
- acrylic
- adhesive
- adhesive agent
- adhesive material
- Aertex
- aggregate
- alpaca
- ammunition
- animal material
- atom
- bagging
- baize
- ballast
- basket weave
- batik
- batiste
- bedding
- bedding material
- belting
- bimetal
- bombazine
- boucle
- broadcloth
- brocade
- buckram
- builder
- bunting
- calico
- cambric
- camel’s hair
- camelhair
- camlet
- camo
- camouflage
- canopy
- Canton flannel
- canvas
- canvass
- cashmere
- cerecloth
- challis
- chambray
- chemical
- chemical substance
- chenille
- chiffon
- chino
- chino cloth
- chintz
- coating
- cobweb
- color
- coloring material
- colour
- colouring material
- composite material
- conductor
- contaminant
- contamination
- copy
- cord
- corduroy
- corpuscle
- cotton
- cotton cloth
- cotton flannel
- crape
- crepe
- cretonne
- crinoline
- damask
- denim
- detergent builder
- detritus
- diamagnet
- diamante
- diamonte
- diaper
- dielectric
- dimity
- discharge
- doeskin
- drapery
- duck
- duffel
- duffle
- dungaree
- durable press
- durable-press fabric
- dust
- earth
- elastic
- elastomer
- emission
- etamin
- etamine
- faille
- felt
- fiber
- fibre
- fill
- filling
- flannel
- flannelette
- fleece
- floc
- floccule
- fluff
- foam
- foulard
- frieze
- fustian
- gabardine
- georgette
- gingham
- grogram
- grosgrain
- ground
- hair
- haircloth
- HAZMAT
- herringbone
- homespun
- homespun fabric
- homogenate
- hopsack
- hopsacking
- horsehair
- humate
- imitation leather
- impregnation
- insulator
- jaconet
- jacquard
- jean
- khaddar
- khadi
- khaki
- knit
- knitted fabric
- lace
- lame
- leatherette
- linen
- linsey-woolsey
- lint
- lisle
- litter
- lubricant
- lubricating substance
- lubricator
- macintosh
- mackinaw
- mackintosh
- madras
- marseille
- mesh
- meshing
- meshwork
- metallic
- mineral
- mohair
- moire
- molecule
- moleskin
- monk’s cloth
- moquette
- moreen
- mote
- motley
- mousseline de sole
- muslin
- nankeen
- net
- network
- ninon
- nonconductor
- nylon
- oilcloth
- olive drab
- organza
- packaging
- packing
- packing material
- paisley
- panting
- paper
- particle
- particulate
- particulate matter
- pepper-and-salt
- percale
- permanent press
- permanent-press fabric
- piece of cloth
- piece of material
- pilot cloth
- pina cloth
- pinstripe
- pique
- plaid
- plant material
- plant substance
- plush
- polyester
- pongee
- poplin
- precursor
- quilting
- radioactive material
- railing
- raw material
- rayon
- rehash
- rep
- repp
- rind
- rock
- roofing
- sackcloth
- sacking
- sailcloth
- samite
- sateen
- satin
- satinet
- satinette
- screening
- scrim
- sealing material
- seersucker
- serge
- shag
- shantung
- sharkskin
- sheeting
- shirting
- shirttail
- silesia
- silk
- sorbate
- sorbent
- sorbent material
- spandex
- speck
- sponge cloth
- stammel
- staple
- stone
- suede
- suede cloth
- suiting
- swan’s down
- taffeta
- tammy
- tapa
- tapestry
- tapis
- tappa
- tartan
- terry
- terry cloth
- terrycloth
- thickener
- thickening
- ticking
- toner
- toweling
- towelling
- translucent substance
- transparent substance
- trousering
- tweed
- twill
- undercut
- upholstery material
- Velcro
- velour
- velours
- velvet
- velveteen
- vernix
- vernix caseosa
- vicuna
- Viyella
- voile
- vulcanized fiber
- wad
- wadding
- wash-and-wear
- wash-and-wear fabric
- waste
- waste material
- waste matter
- waste product
- watered-silk
- waterproof
- web
- webbing
- whipcord
- wincey
- wire cloth
- wool
- woolen
- woollen
- worsted
- yoke
Hypernyms for the word material
-
- applicant
- applier
- artefact
- artifact
- equipment
- info
- information
- matter
- substance
- writing
- written material
Antonyms for the word material
-
- immaterial
- incorporeal
- insubstantial
- nonmaterial
- unreal
- unsubstantial
See other words
-
- What is itemize
- The definition of itemized
- The interpretation of the word disturbs
- What is meant by be important
- The lexical meaning itemizes
- The dictionary meaning of the word disturbingly
- The grammatical meaning of the word disturbing
- Meaning of the word discomfiture
- Literal and figurative meaning of the word disturbances
- The origin of the word mattered
- Synonym for the word theme
- Antonyms for the word discomfort
- Homonyms for the word alarm bell
- Hyponyms for the word alarm clock
- Holonyms for the word items
- Hypernyms for the word matterhorn
- Proverbs and sayings for the word matters
- Translation of the word in other languages mattering