51Թ

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View synonyms for

matter

[mat-er]

noun

  1. the substance or substances of which any physical object consists or is composed.

    the matter of which the earth is made.

  2. physical or corporeal substance in general, whether solid, liquid, or gaseous, especially as distinguished from incorporeal substance, as spirit or mind, or from qualities, actions, and the like.

  3. something that occupies space.

  4. a particular kind of substance.

    coloring matter.

  5. a situation, state, affair, or business.

    a trivial matter.

    Synonyms: ,
  6. an amount or extent reckoned approximately.

    a matter of 10 miles.

  7. something of consequence.

    matter for serious thought.

  8. importance or significance.

    decisions of little matter.

    Synonyms:
  9. difficulty; problem; trouble: There is something the matter with the car.

    Whatever is the matter?

    There is something the matter with the car.

  10. ground, reason, or cause.

    a matter for complaint.

  11. the material or substance of a discourse, book, etc., often as distinguished from its form.

    Synonyms: , ,
  12. things put down in words, especially printed.

    reading matter.

  13. things sent by mail.

    postal matter.

  14. a substance discharged by a living body, especially pus.

  15. Philosophy.

    1. that which by integrative organization forms chemical substances and living things.

    2. Aristotelianism.that which relates to form as potentiality does to actuality.

  16. Law.statement or allegation.

  17. Printing.

    1. material for work; copy.

    2. type set up.

  18. Christian Science.the concept of substance shaped by the limitations of the human mind.



verb (used without object)

  1. to be of importance; signify.

    It matters little.

    Synonyms:
  2. Pathology.to suppurate.

matter

/ ˈæə /

noun

  1. that which makes up something, esp a physical object; material

  2. substance that occupies space and has mass, as distinguished from substance that is mental, spiritual, etc

  3. substance of a specified type

    vegetable matter

    reading matter

  4. thing; affair; concern; question

    a matter of taste

    several matters to attend to

    no laughing matter

  5. a quantity or amount

    a matter of a few pence

  6. the content of written or verbal material as distinct from its style or form

  7. (used with a negative) importance; consequence

  8. philosophy (in the writings of Aristotle and the Scholastics) that which is itself formless but can receive form and become substance

  9. philosophy (in the Cartesian tradition) one of two basic modes of existence, the other being mind : matter being extended in space as well as time

  10. printing

    1. type set up, either standing or for use

    2. copy to be set in type

  11. a secretion or discharge, such as pus

  12. law

    1. something to be proved

    2. statements or allegations to be considered by a court

  13. as regards that

  14. See grey matter

    1. regardless of; irrespective of

      no matter what the excuse, you must not be late

    2. (sentence substitute) it is unimportant

  15. wrong; the trouble

    there's nothing the matter

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to be of consequence or importance

  2. to form and discharge pus

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

matter

  1. Something that has mass. Most of the matter in the universe is composed of atoms which are themselves composed of subatomic particles.

  2. See also energy state of matter

matter

  1. In physics, something that has mass and is distinct from energy. (See phases of matter.)

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Other 51Թ Forms

  • matterful adjective
  • matterless adjective
  • nonmatter noun
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of matter1

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English mater(e), materie, from Anglo-French, Old French mat(i)ere, materie, from Latin ٱ “woody part of a tree, material, substance,” derivative of ٱ “mdzٳ”; mother 1
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of matter1

C13 (n), C16 (vb): from Latin ٱ cause, substance, esp wood, or a substance that produces something else; related to ٱ mother
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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. a matter of life and death, something of vital or crucial importance.

  2. for that matter, as far as that is concerned; as for that: Also for the matter of that

    For that matter, you are no better qualified to judge than I.

  3. as a matter of fact, in reality; actually; in fact.

    As a matter of fact, there is no substance to that rumor.

  4. no matter,

    1. regardless or irrespective of.

      We'll never finish on time, no matter how hard we work.

    2. it is unimportant; it makes no difference.

      No matter, this string will do as well as any other.

In addition to the idioms beginning with matter, also see crux of the matter; for that matter; gray matter; mince matters; mind over matter; no joke (laughing matter); no matter; the matter.
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Synonym Study

Matter, material, stuff, substance refer to that of which physical objects are composed (though all these terms are also used abstractly). Matter, as distinct from mind and spirit, is a broad word that applies to anything perceived, or known to be occupying space: solid matter; gaseous matter. Material usually means some definite kind, quality, or quantity of matter, especially as intended for use: woolen material; a house built of good materials. Stuff, a less technical word, with approximately the same meanings as material, is characterized by being on an informal level when it refers to physical objects ( Dynamite is queer stuff ), and on a literary or poetic one when it is used abstractly ( the stuff that dreams are made on ). Substance is the matter that composes a thing, thought of in relation to its essential properties: a sticky substance.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

"The future of this club is unbelievably bright, no matter who pulls on the shirt it's next man in," Spencer said.

From

Plaschke’s column helped to remind me that I am not alone and this dreaded disease indeed takes no prisoners no matter who you are.

From

What constitutes romance is different for everyone, and when you get to the matter of love itself, issues become even more knotty.

From

“It’s a strange thing for me to say as a law professor that maybe the law doesn’t matter,” Chen said.

From

Compounding matters, attorneys who specialize in immigration law say there is a shortage of qualified people working in the field.

From

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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