I.
or matt
variant of mat III 1
II. adjective
also mat or matt ˈmat
Etymology: French mat, from Old French, faded, defeated
Date: circa 1648
: lacking or deprived of luster or gloss: as
a. : having a usually smooth even surface free from shine or highlights
matte metals
a matte finish
b. : having a rough or granular surface
III. ˈmat noun
Etymology: French, from Middle French, crude metal, curdled milk, from feminine of mat thick, dull, matte
Date: 1839
1. : a crude mixture of sulfides formed in smelting sulfide ores of metals (as copper, lead, or nickel)
2. : a motion-picture effect in which part of a scene is blocked out and later replaced by footage containing other material (as a background painting)