matrix

[mey-triks, ma-]

noun

plural

matrices, matrixes 

1. something that constitutes the place or point from which something else originates, takes form, or develops.

   The Greco-Roman world was the matrix for Western civilization.

2. Anatomy.,  a formative part, as the corium beneath a nail.

3. Biology.

   1. the intercellular substance of a tissue.

   2. ground substance.

4. Petrology.,  the fine-grained portion of a rock in which coarser crystals or rock fragments are embedded.

5. fine material, as cement, in which lumps of coarser material, as of an aggregate, are embedded.

6. Mining.,  gangue.

7. Metallurgy.,  a crystalline phase in an alloy in which other phases are embedded.

8. Printing.,  a mold for casting typefaces.

9. master.

10. Digital Technology,  a grid formed by perpendicular intersections that define potential space that may be filled, as by pixels on a screen, ink in dot-matrix printing, or material in 3D printing.

11. (in a press or stamping machine) a multiple die or perforated block on which the material to be formed is placed.

12. Mathematics.,  a rectangular array of numbers, algebraic symbols, or mathematical functions, especially when such arrays are added and multiplied according to certain rules.

13. Linguistics.,  a rectangular display of features characterizing a set of linguistic items, especially phonemes, usually presented as a set of columns of plus or minus signs specifying the presence or absence of each feature for each item.

14. Also called master. a mold made by electroforming from a disk recording, from which other disks may be pressed.

15. Archaic.,  the womb.

matrix

/ ˈmæ-, ˈmeɪtrɪks /

noun

1. a substance, situation, or environment in which something has its origin, takes form, or is enclosed

2. anatomy the thick tissue at the base of a nail from which a fingernail or toenail develops

3. the intercellular substance of bone, cartilage, connective tissue, etc

4. 1. the rock material in which fossils, pebbles, etc, are embedded

   2. the material in which a mineral is embedded; gangue

5. printing

   1. a metal mould for casting type

   2. Sometimes shortened to: mat. a papier-mâché or plastic mould impressed from the forme and used for stereotyping

6. (formerly) a mould used in the production of gramophone records. It is obtained by electrodeposition onto the master

7. a bed of perforated material placed beneath a workpiece in a press or stamping machine against which the punch operates

8. metallurgy

   1. the shaped cathode used in electroforming

   2. the metal constituting the major part of an alloy

   3. the soft metal in a plain bearing in which the hard particles of surface metal are embedded

9. the main component of a composite material, such as the plastic in a fibre-reinforced plastic

10. maths a rectangular array of elements set out in rows and columns, used to facilitate the solution of problems, such as the transformation of coordinates. Usually indicated by parentheses: ( ) Compare determinant

11. linguistics the main clause of a complex sentence

12. computing a rectangular array of circuit elements usually used to generate one set of signals from another

13. obsolete,  the womb

matrix

plural

matrices 

1. Geology,  The mineral grains of a rock in which fossils are embedded.

2. Biology,  The component of an animal or plant tissue that is outside the cells. Bone cells are embedded in a matrix of collagen fibers and mineral salts. Connective tissue consists of cells and extracellular fibers in a liquid called ground substance.

3. Biology,  Also called extracellular matrix

4. Mathematics,  A rectangular array of numeric or algebraic quantities subject to mathematical operations.

5. Anatomy,  The formative cells or tissue of a fingernail, toenail, or tooth.

Word History and Origins

Origin of matrix¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English matris, matrix, from Latin mātrix “female animal kept for breeding, parent stem (of plants)” ( Late Latin: “register,” originally of such beasts), derivative of māter “mother”; mother ¹ ( def. )

Word History and Origins

Origin of matrix¹

C16: from Latin: womb, female animal used for breeding, from māter mother

Example Sentences

All these things go into the matrix of how I make these decisions.

From Los Angeles Times

Then the minister will use a matrix to decide whether to approve or reject any proposal.

From BBC

That’s the matrix, the math behind the joy of cooking, you know?

From Salon

While Colombia has a relatively clean domestic electricity matrix, with nearly two-thirds coming from hydroelectricity, the country remains vulnerable to low reservoir levels, which creates a risk of energy shortages.

From BBC

Behind those names is a matrix of oversight boards, some made up of experts from government, business, housing development and homeless services and others of city and county elected officials and prominent nonprofit leaders.

From Los Angeles Times

When To Use

Plural word for matrix

The plural form of matrix can be either matrices, pronounced [ mey-tri-seez ], or matrixes, but matrices is more widely used. The plural forms of several other singular words that end in -ix or -ex are also formed this same way, such as index/indices, appendix/appendices, and codex/codices.  Irregular nouns with plurals that are formed like matrices derive directly from their original pluralization in Latin. However, the standard English plural -es is often also acceptable for these terms, as in indexes and appendixes.