[mat.ter] n [ME matere, fr. OF, fr. L materia matter, physical substance, fr. mater] (13c) 1 a: a subject under consideration b: a subject of disagreement or litigation c pl: the events or circumstances of a particular situation d: the subject or substance of a discourse or writing e: something of an indicated kind or having to do with an indicated field or situation "this is a serious ~" "as a ~ of policy" "~s of faith" f: something to be proved in law g obs: sensible or serious material as distinguished from nonsense or drollery h (1) obs: reason, cause (2): a source esp. of feeling or emotion i: problem, difficulty
2. a: the substance of which a physical object is composed b: material substance that occupies space, has mass, and is composed predominantly of atoms consisting of protons, neutrons, and electrons, that constitutes the observable universe, and that is interconvertible with energy c: a material substance of a particular kind or for a particular purpose "vegetable ~" d (1): material (as feces or urine) discharged from the living body (2): material discharged by suppuration: pus 3 a: the indeterminate subject of reality; esp: the element in the universe that undergoes formation and alteration b: the formless substratum of all things which exists only potentially and upon which form acts to produce realities
4: a more or less definite amount or quantity "cooks in a ~ of minutes"
5: something written or printed
6: mail
7. Christian Science: the illusion that the objects perceived by the physical senses have the reality of substance -- for that matter : so far as that is concerned -- no matter : without regard to: irrespective of "points in the same direction no matter how it is tilted" -- the matter : wrong "nothing's the matter with me"
[2]matter vi (1530) 1: to form or discharge pus: suppurate "~ing wound"
2: to be of importance: signify