Standard Lemma guide

material

adj · noun · verb · 30 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Australian, Received-Pronunciation: /məˈtɪə.ɹi.əl/
  • Canada, General-American: /məˈtɪɹ.i.əl/
  • California: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: M AH0 T IH1 R IY0 AH0 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Of, relating to, or consisting of matter, especially physical.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • This compound has a number of interesting material properties.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Of, relating to, or affecting physical well-being; corporeal; bodily.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • material needs

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: spiritual

3

adj

Meaning 3

Of or relating to the matter of reasoning, as distinguished from the form of it, especially empirical.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: human-sciences, logic, mathematics, philosophy, sciences

Examples

  • material cause
  • the material aspect of being

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Having real importance or great consequences; significant; substantial.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: especially

Topics: law

Examples

  • found a material difference between two things
  • You've made several material contributions to this project.
  • This is the most material fact in this lawsuit.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: immaterial

5

adj

Meaning 5

Relating to or concerned with what is purely physical rather than intellectual or spiritual, especially excessively so; materialistic.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • the material world
  • interested only in material progress
  • Don't let material concerns get in the way of living a happy life.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adj

Meaning 6

Full of substance or otherwise meaning.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bulky, massive, solid, meaty

Antonyms: none provided

7

adj

Meaning 7

In an important degree.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

A basic matter (as metal, wood, plastic, fiber, etc.) from which the whole or the greater part of something physical (as a machine, tool, building, fabric, etc.) is made.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • Asphalt, composed of oil and sand, is a widely used material for roads.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: raw material

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

A person, or people collectively, who are qualified or suited for a certain position or activity.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: collective, countable, sometimes, uncountable

Qualifier: preceded by a qualifying word

Examples

  • boy/girlfriend material
  • marriage material
  • We have lots of presidential material in various public offices.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

Apparatus for doing or making something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, plural, uncountable, usually

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

noun

Meaning 11

Something (as data, observations, perceptions or ideas) that may be incorporated, elaborated or otherwise reworked into a finished form or new form, or may serve as the basis for arriving at interpretations, judgments or conclusions.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • teaching materials
  • We were a warm-up act at the time; we didn't have enough original material to headline.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

noun

Meaning 12

Fabric, which can be made into a garments, curtains, etc; especially, woven fabric (cloth).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • a piece of material
  • You'll need about a yard of material to make this.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

13

noun

Meaning 13

The elements, constituents or substance of which something physical or non-physical composed of or can be made of.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • The solid materials of the mixture will settle to the bottom of the container.
  • The material of his character was basically good.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

14

noun

Meaning 14

An element of a design language associated with a certain style of rendering on the display.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: computing, engineering, graphical-user-interface, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

15

noun

Meaning 15

All of a player's pieces and pawns on the chessboard, excluding the king.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: board-games, chess, games

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

16

noun

Meaning 16

The ingredients for making whisky punch.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Ireland, archaic, countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: matts

Antonyms: none provided

17

noun

Meaning 17

The materiel of an army.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, rare, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

18

noun

Meaning 18

Things that are material.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, obsolete, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

19

verb

Meaning 19

To form from matter; to materialize.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

20

adjective

Meaning 20

having substance or capable of being treated as fact; not imaginary- Shakespeare

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the substantial world
  • a mere dream, neither substantial nor practical
  • most ponderous and substantial things

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: substantial, real

Antonyms: none provided

21

adjective

Meaning 21

derived from or composed of matter

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the material universe

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: immaterial

22

adjective

Meaning 22

having material or physical form or substance - Benjamin Jowett

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • that which is created is of necessity corporeal and visible and tangible

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: corporeal

Antonyms: none provided

23

adjective

Meaning 23

directly relevant to a matter especially a law case

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • his support made a material difference
  • evidence material to the issue at hand
  • facts likely to influence the judgment are called material facts
  • a material witness

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: immaterial

24

adjective satellite

Meaning 24

concerned with or affecting physical as distinct from intellectual or psychological well-being- T.Roosevelt

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • material needs
  • the moral and material welfare of all good citizens

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

25

adjective satellite

Meaning 25

concerned with worldly rather than spiritual interests

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • material possessions
  • material wealth
  • material comforts

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

26

noun

Meaning 26

artifact made by weaving or felting or knitting or crocheting natural or synthetic fibers

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the fabric in the curtains was light and semitransparent
  • woven cloth originated in Mesopotamia around 5000 BC
  • she measured off enough material for a dress

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: fabric, cloth, textile

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: artifact, artefact

Narrower terms: aba, acrylic, Aertex, alpaca, baize, basket weave, batik, batiste, belting, bombazine, boucle, broadcloth, brocade, buckram, bunting, calico, cambric, camel's hair, camelhair, camlet, camouflage, camo, canopy, canvas, canvass, cashmere, cerecloth, challis, chambray, chenille, chiffon, chino, chintz, coating, cobweb, cord, corduroy, cotton, cotton flannel, Canton flannel, crepe, crape, cretonne, crinoline, damask, denim, dungaree, jean, diamante, diaper, dimity, doeskin, drapery, duck, duffel, duffle, elastic, etamine, etamin, faille, felt, fiber, fibre, vulcanized fiber, flannel, flannelette, fleece, foulard, frieze, fustian, gabardine, georgette, gingham, grogram, grosgrain, haircloth, hair, herringbone, homespun, hopsacking, hopsack, horsehair, jaconet, jacquard, khadi, khaddar, khaki, knit, lace, lame, leatherette, imitation leather, linen, linsey-woolsey, lint, lisle, mackinaw, mackintosh, macintosh, madras, marseille, metallic, mohair, moire, watered-silk, moleskin, monk's cloth, moquette, moreen, motley, mousseline de sole, muslin, nankeen, net, network, mesh, meshing, meshwork, ninon, nylon, oilcloth, olive drab, organza, paisley, panting, trousering, pepper-and-salt, percale, permanent press, durable press, piece of cloth, piece of material, pilot cloth, pinstripe, pique, plush, polyester, pongee, poplin, print, quilting, rayon, rep, repp, sackcloth, sacking, bagging, sailcloth, samite, sateen, satin, satinet, satinette, screening, scrim, seersucker, serge, shag, shantung, sharkskin, sheeting, shirting, shirttail, silesia, silk, spandex, sponge cloth, stammel, suede cloth, suede, suiting, swan's down, taffeta, tammy, tapa, tappa, tapestry, tapis, tartan, plaid, terry, terry cloth, terrycloth, ticking, toweling, towelling, tweed, twill, upholstery material, Velcro, velour, velours, velvet, velveteen, vicuna, Viyella, voile, wash-and-wear, waterproof, web, webbing, whipcord, wincey, wire cloth, wool, woolen, woollen, worsted, yoke, pina cloth

27

noun

Meaning 27

things needed for doing or making something

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • writing materials
  • useful teaching materials

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: equipment

Narrower terms: packaging, railing, roofing

28

noun

Meaning 28

information (data or ideas or observations) that can be used or reworked into a finished form

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the archives provided rich material for a definitive biography

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: information, info

Narrower terms: rehash, copy

29

noun

Meaning 29

a person judged suitable for admission or employment

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he was university material
  • she was vice-presidential material

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: applicant, applier

30

noun

Meaning 30

the tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a physical object

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • coal is a hard black material
  • wheat is the stuff they use to make bread

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: stuff

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: substance

Narrower terms: ballast, bedding material, bedding, litter, rind, precursor, atom, molecule, particle, corpuscle, mote, speck, ammunition, floccule, floc, HAZMAT, aggregate, raw material, staple, sorbate, sorbent, sorbent material, diamagnet, mineral, rock, stone, adhesive material, adhesive agent, adhesive, sealing material, animal material, fluff, bimetal, abrasive, abradant, abrasive material, chemical, chemical substance, composite material, conductor, insulator, dielectric, nonconductor, contaminant, contamination, particulate, particulate matter, dust, elastomer, earth, ground, discharge, emission, detritus, waste, waste material, waste matter, waste product, fiber, fibre, filling, fill, foam, homogenate, humate, impregnation, paper, packing material, packing, wadding, coloring material, colouring material, color, colour, plant material, plant substance, radioactive material, thickening, thickener, toner, transparent substance, translucent substance, undercut, builder, detergent builder, vernix, vernix caseosa, wad

History

Etymology

From Middle English material, from Late Latin māteriālis, from Latin māteria (“wood, material, substance”), from māter (“mother”). Displaced native Middle English andweorc, andwork (“material, matter”) (from Old English andweorc (“matter, substance, material”)). Doublet of materiel.

Across languages

Translations

247 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: مَادِّيّ (māddiyy) — related to matter
  • Armenian: նյութական (nyutʻakan) — related to matter
  • Belarusian: матэрыя́льны (materyjálʹny) — related to matter
  • Bulgarian: материален (materialen) — related to matter
  • Bulgarian: веществен (veštestven) — related to matter
  • Catalan: material — related to matter
  • Czech: materiálový — related to matter
  • Danish: materiel — related to matter
  • Dutch: materieel — related to matter
  • Dutch: materiële — related to matter
  • Esperanto: materia — related to matter
  • Finnish: materiaalinen — related to matter
  • Finnish: aineellinen — related to matter
  • Galician: material — related to matter
  • German: materiell — related to matter
  • Greek: υλικός (ylikós) — related to matter
  • Ancient Greek: ὑλικός (hulikós) — related to matter
  • Hungarian: anyagi — related to matter
  • Ido: materiala — related to matter
  • Irish: ábhartha — related to matter
  • Italian: materiale — related to matter
  • Latin: corporeus — related to matter
  • Macedonian: материја́лен (materijálen) — related to matter
  • Māori: ōkiko — related to matter
  • Middle English: material — related to matter
  • Middle English: beestly — related to matter
  • Middle English: bestial — related to matter
  • Norwegian: materiell — related to matter
  • Polish: materialny — related to matter
  • Portuguese: material — related to matter
  • Romanian: material — related to matter
  • Russian: мате́риа́льный (matériálʹnyj) — related to matter
  • Spanish: material — related to matter
  • Swedish: materiell — related to matter
  • Swedish: compounds with materia c and material — related to matter
  • Ukrainian: матеріа́льний (materiálʹnyj) — related to matter
  • Volapük: stöfik — related to matter
  • Arabic: مَادِّيّ (māddiyy) — worldly
  • Armenian: նյութական (nyutʻakan) — worldly
  • Bulgarian: светски (svetski) — worldly
  • Catalan: material — worldly
  • Czech: hmotný — worldly
  • Czech: materiální — worldly
  • Danish: materiel — worldly
  • Dutch: materieel — worldly
  • Dutch: materiële — worldly
  • Dutch: wereldlijk — worldly
  • Dutch: wereldlijke — worldly
  • Finnish: maallinen — worldly
  • Finnish: materiaalinen — worldly
  • French: matériel — worldly
  • Galician: material — worldly
  • German: materiell — worldly
  • Greek: υλικός (ylikós) — worldly
  • Hungarian: anyagi — worldly
  • Hungarian: materiális — worldly
  • Irish: ábhartha — worldly
  • Italian: materiale — worldly
  • Middle English: material — worldly
  • Norwegian: materiell — worldly
  • Persian: مادی (mâddi) — worldly
  • Polish: materialny — worldly
  • Portuguese: material — worldly
  • Portuguese: terreno — worldly
  • Romanian: material — worldly
  • Russian: мате́риа́льный (matériálʹnyj) — worldly
  • Spanish: material — worldly
  • Swedish: materiell — worldly
  • Swedish: världslig — worldly
  • Armenian: էական (ēakan) — significant
  • Armenian: կարեւոր (karewor) — significant
  • Bulgarian: важен (važen) — significant
  • Bulgarian: съществен (sǎštestven) — significant
  • Finnish: merkittävä — significant
  • Finnish: olennainen — significant
  • Galician: significativo — significant
  • Greek: ουσιώδης (ousiódis) — significant
  • Greek: καίριος (kaírios) — significant
  • Irish: ábhartha — significant
  • Portuguese: significativo — significant
  • Russian: ва́жный (vážnyj) — significant
  • Spanish: significativo — significant
  • Afrikaans: materiaal — matter
  • Albanian: material — matter
  • Albanian: lëndor — matter
  • Arabic: مَادَّة (mādda) — matter
  • Armenian: նյութ (nyutʻ) — matter
  • Azerbaijani: material — matter
  • Azerbaijani: maddə — matter
  • Belarusian: матэрыя́л (materyjál) — matter
  • Bengali: উপাদান (upadan) — matter
  • Bulgarian: материа́л (materiál) — matter
  • Burmese: ပစ္စည်း (paccany:) — matter
  • Catalan: material — matter
  • Chinese Mandarin: 物質 /物质 (wùzhì, wùzhí) — matter
  • Chinese Mandarin: 材料 (cáiliào) — matter
  • Czech: materiál — matter
  • Danish: materiale — matter
  • Dutch: materiaal — matter
  • Dutch: grondstof — matter
  • Esperanto: materialo — matter
  • Estonian: materjal — matter
  • Finnish: materiaali — matter
  • Finnish: raaka-aine — matter
  • French: matériau — matter
  • French: matière — matter
  • West-Frisian: materiaal — matter
  • Galician: material — matter
  • Georgian: მასალა (masala) — matter
  • German: Material — matter
  • German: Rohstoff — matter
  • Greek: υλικό (ylikó) — matter
  • Ancient Greek: ὕλη (húlē) — matter
  • Hebrew: חומר — matter
  • Hebrew: חֹמֶר (khómer) — matter
  • Hindi: सामग्री (sāmagrī) — matter
  • Hungarian: anyag — matter
  • Icelandic: efni — matter
  • Ido: materio — matter
  • Indonesian: bahan — matter
  • Ingrian: materiala — matter
  • Irish: mianach — matter
  • Irish: damhna — matter
  • Old Irish: adbar — matter
  • Italian: materiale — matter
  • Japanese: 物質 (busshitsu) — matter
  • Japanese: 材料 (zairyō) — matter
  • Kazakh: материал — matter
  • Khmer: សម្ភារៈ (sɑmphiərĕəʼ) — matter
  • Korean: 물질 (muljil) — matter
  • Korean: 재료 (jaeryo) — matter
  • Kyrgyz: материал — matter
  • Lao: ວັດສະດຸ (wat sa du) — matter
  • Latin: māteria — matter
  • Latvian: materiāls — matter
  • Lithuanian: medžiaga — matter
  • Luxembourgish: Material — matter
  • Macedonian: материја́л (materijál) — matter
  • Malay: bahan — matter
  • Māori: matū — matter
  • Mongolian: материал — matter
  • Norwegian Bokmål: materiale — matter
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: materiale — matter
  • Dari: مَادَّه (mādda) — matter
  • Iranian Persian: مادِّه (mâdde) — matter
  • Polish: materiał — matter
  • Portuguese: material — matter
  • Romanian: material — matter
  • Romanian: materie — matter
  • Russian: материа́л (materiál) — matter
  • Russian: вещество́ (veščestvó) — matter
  • Scottish Gaelic: adhbhar — matter
  • Serbo-Croatian: матерѝја̄л — matter
  • Serbo-Croatian: materìjāl — matter
  • Slovak: materiál — matter
  • Slovene: material — matter
  • Spanish: material — matter
  • Swedish: material — matter
  • Tagalog: materyal — matter
  • Tajik: материал — matter
  • Tajik: модда (modda) — matter
  • Thai: วัสดุ (wát-sà-dù) — matter
  • Turkish: malzeme — matter
  • Turkish: madde — matter
  • Turkmen: material — matter
  • Ukrainian: матеріа́л (materiál) — matter
  • Urdu: مادَّہ (mādda) — matter
  • Uyghur: ماتېرىيال (matëriyal) — matter
  • Uzbek: material — matter
  • Uzbek: modda — matter
  • Vietnamese: vật chất — matter
  • Bulgarian: материа́л (materiál) — text
  • Chinese Mandarin: 資料 /资料 (zīliào) — text
  • Danish: materiale — text
  • Danish: stof — text
  • Dutch: materiaal — text
  • Finnish: aineisto — text
  • French: matériel — text
  • Galician: material — text
  • German: Material — text
  • Hebrew: חומר — text
  • Hebrew: חֹמֶר (khómer) — text
  • Hungarian: anyag — text
  • Ingrian: materiala — text
  • Japanese: 資料 (shiryō) — text
  • Japanese: 題材 (daizai) — text
  • Korean: 자료 (jaryo) — text
  • Latin: verba scriptoris — text
  • Luxembourgish: Material — text
  • Norwegian Bokmål: stoff — text
  • Iranian Persian: مَطْلَب (matlab) — text
  • Portuguese: matéria — text
  • Romanian: material — text
  • Russian: материа́л (materiál) — text
  • Spanish: menaje — text
  • Swedish: material — text
  • Bulgarian: материа́л (materiál) — sample or specimens for study
  • Finnish: aineisto — sample or specimens for study
  • French: matériel — sample or specimens for study
  • Ingrian: materiala — sample or specimens for study
  • Italian: materiale — sample or specimens for study
  • Portuguese: material — sample or specimens for study
  • Romanian: material — sample or specimens for study
  • Russian: материа́л (materiál) — sample or specimens for study
  • Spanish: material — sample or specimens for study
  • Bulgarian: мате́рия (matérija) — cloth
  • Chinese Mandarin: 布 (bù) — cloth
  • Chinese Mandarin: 面料 (miànliào) — cloth
  • Danish: stof — cloth
  • Dutch: stof — cloth
  • Dutch: naaigoed — cloth
  • Esperanto: ŝtofo — cloth
  • Finnish: kangas — cloth
  • French: étoffe — cloth
  • French: tissu — cloth
  • German: Stoff — cloth
  • Greek: ύφασμα (ýfasma) — cloth
  • Hungarian: anyag — cloth
  • Italian: materiale — cloth
  • Japanese: 素材 (sozai) — cloth
  • Japanese: 生地 (kiji) — cloth
  • Japanese: 布 (nuno) — cloth
  • Māori: papanga — cloth
  • Mongolian: даавуу (daavuu) — cloth
  • Norwegian Bokmål: stoff — cloth
  • Norwegian Bokmål: tøy — cloth
  • Polish: materiał — cloth
  • Portuguese: tecido — cloth
  • Portuguese: pano — cloth
  • Romanian: stofă — cloth
  • Romanian: material textil — cloth
  • Romanian: pânză — cloth
  • Russian: материа́л (materiál) — cloth
  • Russian: мате́рия (matérija) — cloth
  • Russian: ткань (tkanʹ) — cloth
  • Scottish Gaelic: adhbhar — cloth
  • Swedish: material — cloth
  • Finnish: aines — people suited for an activity
  • Japanese: 人材 (jinzai) — people suited for an activity
  • Korean: 인재 (injae) — people suited for an activity
  • Finnish: aineisto — related data of various kinds collected as the basis for a document or book
  • French: documentation — related data of various kinds collected as the basis for a document or book
  • Bulgarian: състав (sǎstav) — substance of which something composed of or can be made of
  • Bulgarian: градеж (gradež) — substance of which something composed of or can be made of
  • Finnish: aine — substance of which something composed of or can be made of
  • Finnish: aines — substance of which something composed of or can be made of
  • Portuguese: matéria — substance of which something composed of or can be made of
Real reading context

material in complete knowledge articles