material

[muh-teer-ee-uhl]

noun

1. the substance or substances of which a thing is made or composed.

   Stone is a durable material.

2. anything that serves as crude or raw matter to be used or developed.

   Wood pulp is the raw material from which paper is made.

3. any constituent element.

4. a textile fabric.

   material for a dress.

5. 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.

6. materials, the articles or apparatus needed to make or do something.

   writing materials.

7. 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

1. formed or consisting of matter; physical; corporeal.

   the material world.

   Antonyms: incorporeal

2. relating to, concerned with, or involving matter.

   material forces.

3. pertaining to the physical rather than the spiritual or intellectual aspect of things.

   material comforts.

4. pertaining to or characterized by an undue interest in corporeal things; unspiritual.

5. 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.

6. of substantial import; of much consequence; important.

   Your support will make a material difference in the success of our program.

   Synonyms: vital, essential
   Antonyms: unimportant

7. pertinent or essential (usually followed byto ).

   a question not material to the subject at hand.

8. Law.,  likely to influence the determination of a case.

   material evidence.

9. Philosophy.,  of or relating to matter as distinguished from form.

material

/ məˈtɪərɪəl /

noun

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. cloth or fabric

4. a person who has qualities suitable for a given occupation, training, etc

   that boy is not university material

adjective

1. of, relating to, or composed of physical substance; corporeal

2. philosophy composed of or relating to physical as opposed to mental or spiritual substance

   the material world

3. of, relating to, or affecting economic or physical wellbeing

   material ease

4. of or concerned with physical rather than spiritual interests

5. of great import or consequence

   of material benefit to the workers

6. (often foll by to) relevant

7. philosophy of or relating to matter as opposed to form

8. law relevant to the issue before court: applied esp to facts or testimony of much significance

   a material witness

Other Word Forms

• materialness noun
• prematerial adjective
• quasi-material adjective
• quasi-materially adverb
• supermaterial noun
• transmaterial adjective
• unmaterial adjective
• unmaterially adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of material¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Late Latin māteriālis “of, belonging to matter,” equivalent to māteri(a) “woody part of a tree, substance” ( matter ) + -ālis -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of material¹

C14: via French from Late Latin māteriālis, from Latin māteria _matter

Synonym Study

See matter.

Example Sentences

Is it harmful to maintaining that relationship with the material?

From Los Angeles Times

“It’s why we used so many materials from the land itself.”

From Los Angeles Times

One unknown is how LGBTQ+ students and students from families with LGBTQ+ members will react when classmates leave and when teaching materials reflecting their lives are presented.

From Los Angeles Times

The lawsuit also called attention to technology shortcomings, noting that students from low-income families, especially those in areas with poor connectivity, were especially challenged to take part in lessons, access materials and turn in work.

From Los Angeles Times

Farage told the committee it was important to "protect kids" from seeing dangerous material on the internet and that he didn't "have all the answers".

From BBC

Related Words

• cloth 
• component 
• element 
• equipment 
• goods 
• ingredient 
• machinery 
• object 
• stuff 
• substance 
• supply 
• textile 

When To Use

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.