/ mæt; NAmE / noun , adjective
■ noun
1.
a small piece of thick carpet or strong material that is used to cover part of a floor :
Wipe your feet on the mat before you come in, please.
—see also bath mat , doormat , mouse mat
2.
a piece of thick material such as rubber or plastic used especially in some sports for people to lie on or fall onto :
a judo / an exercise mat
3.
a small piece of plastic, wood or cloth used on a table for decoration or to protect the surface from heat or damage :
a beer mat
—see also table mat
4.
a thick mass of sth that is stuck together :
a mat of hair
—see also matted
•
IDIOMS
- go to the mat (with sb) (for sb/sth)
- take sb/sth to the mat
■ adjective
( US ) = matt
••
WORD ORIGIN
noun Old English m(e)att(e) , of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch mat and German Matte , from late Latin matta , from Phoenician .