I. ˈmad.ə(r), -atə- noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English matere, from Old French matere, matiere, from Latin materia matter, subject, physical substance, wood for building, from mater mother — more at mother
1.
a. : a subject (as a fact, an event or course of events, or a circumstance, situation, or question) of interest or relevance : an object of thought or consideration: as
(1) : a topic under active and usually serious or practical consideration
several other matters will come before the committee
weighed and argued the matter for several days before reaching a decision
(2) archaic : an affair (as of business) belonging to a particular person
(3) : something that is a subject of disagreement, strife, or litigation : a source or topic of contention
let the matter between us be decided on its merits
the matter in dispute is basically trivial
(4) matters plural , archaic : personal business : affairs
(5) matters plural : the events or circumstances of a particular but usually unspecified situation, occurrence, or relation
planned to discuss matters with her husband soon
b.
(1) obsolete : the substance of a branch of knowledge : something that forms the subject of any field
(2) : something (as facts, information, data) that constitutes material for thought, discussion, or action
for years he had been assembling the matter for a wholly new treatment of theoretical mechanics
(3) : the subject or substance of a writing or discourse : meat , fundamentals
a graceful style was not enough to hide a paucity of matter
(4) : something (as information or a topic of discussion) of a particular nature or involving a particular and often specified thing or relation
I have matter of the utmost importance to impart and to your ear alone
the matter under discussion
broadly : something of an indicated kind or having to do with an indicated field or situation
questions involving matters of faith
a serious matter
(5) : something that is to be proved (as in a court of law) — see matter in deed , matter in pais , matter of record
(6) obsolete : sensible or serious material as distinguished from nonsense or drollery
c.
(1) obsolete : a reason or the grounds for something (as for action or being)
(2) : a cause or source especially of a feeling or an emotional reaction
do you call this no matter for wonder
(3) : a circumstance or condition affecting a particular person or thing usually unfavorably ; especially : a circumstance or condition that requires or may be subject to mitigation, assuagement, or correction — used with the definite article
what's the matter
something the matter with his generator
2.
a. : the substance of which a physical object is composed : physical substance : material , constituent ; especially : substance that is considered to constitute the observable universe, that together with energy is held to form the basis of objective phenomena, that includes among its properties extension, inertia, and gravitation, and that is indicated by experimental evidence to consist ultimately of elementary particles of comparatively few kinds
b. : material substance of a particular kind or for a particular purpose
a viscid tarry matter
dissolved out the mineral matter with acid
c.
(1) : material (as feces or urine) discharged or for discharge from the living body
an obstruction interfering with passage of matter from the intestine
(2) : material discharged by suppuration : purulent matter : pus
d. : physical substance as distinguished on the one hand from immaterial qualities and on the other from formed bodies
3.
a. obsolete : the first product of creation : chaos
b. : the indeterminate subject of reality : the wholly or virtually passive element in the universe:
(1) among the Ionian nature philosophers : a particular variety of primordial stuff ; specifically : one or more of the four elements
(2) in Anaximander : apeiron
(3) in atomism : the totality of atoms
(4) in Plato : something that is unlimited, formless, insensible, relatively nonexistent, but capable of being formed
(5) in Aristotle : the absolutely formless substratum of all things having existence only in abstraction ; also : the potential substance upon which form acts to produce realities : the receptive feminine principle that is a subject of change and development and has the power of resistance or implasticity by reason of which it yields only partially to the form-giving element
in the Aristotelian metaphysics, the lower stages of existence are conceived as the matter of the next higher stages, which are forms in relation to them; and so on to the end of the series — Frank Thilly
— often distinguished from form
(6) in Plotinus : the final weakest relatively qualityless indeterminate base and worthless emanation of the divine One
(7) in Descartes : one of the two relative substances distinguished from spirit in being extended, entirely passive, and having the capacity for motion
(8) in Kant : the sensible stuff, sensuous content, or manifold of experience
4.
a. : matter of a proposition
b. : matter of a syllogism
5. : a more or less definite amount, quantity, portion, or space — used chiefly in the phrase a matter of
would you quarrel for a matter of a dollar
been a matter of 10 years
away he goes … a matter of seven miles — Roger L'Estrange
6.
a. : something written or printed or to be printed
matter suitable for photocomposition
b. : type and other letterpress material set up for printing
c. : the text proper as distinguished from heads, illustrations, and notes or (as in a newspaper) from advertisements
7. : material dispatched or to be dispatched by mail : mail
third-class matter
8. Christian Science : the illusion that the objects perceived by the physical senses have the reality of substance
Spirit is the real and eternal; matter is the unreal and temporal — Mary B. Eddy
•
- for that matter
- in the matter of
- no matter
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
intransitive verb
1. : to be of importance : import , signify
it is not death that matters but the fear of death — G.B.Shaw
2. : to form or discharge pus : suppurate
a mattering wound
transitive verb
: to regard as important or worthwhile : concern oneself about : care for : value
III. noun
( -s )
Etymology: partly from Middle English mattere maker of mats, from mat (I) + -ere -er; partly from mat (III) + -er
: one that mats: as
a. : a maker of mats
b. : mattoir