[ 'meɪtrɪks ]
■ noun ( plural matrices -si:z or ~es )
1》 an environment or material in which something develops.
2》 a mass of fine-grained rock in which gems, crystals, or fossils are embedded.
↘ Biology the substance between cells or in which structures are embedded.
3》 a mould in which something, such as a gramophone record or printing type, is cast or shaped.
4》 Mathematics a rectangular array of quantities or expressions in rows and columns that is treated as a single entity and manipulated according to particular rules.
↘a grid-like array of elements, especially of data items; a lattice.
Origin
ME (in the sense 'womb'): from L., 'breeding female', later 'womb', from mater , matr- 'mother'.