material Hear it!

material definition

ma·teri·al (mə tir′ē əl)

adjective

  1. of matter; of substance; relating to or consisting of what occupies space; physical a material object, material forces
    1. of the body or bodily needs, satisfactions, etc.; corporeal, sensual, or sensuous material pleasures
    2. of or fond of comfort, pleasure, wealth, etc. rather than spiritual or intellectual values; worldly material success
  3. important, essential, or pertinent (to the matter under discussion)
  4. Law important enough to affect the outcome of a case, the validity of a legal instrument, etc. a material witness
  5. Philos. of the content or substance of reasoning, as distinguished from the formal element

Etymology: LL materialis < L materia, matter

noun

  1. what a thing is, or may be, made of; constituent substance; elements, parts, or constituents raw material
  2. ideas, notes, sketches, etc., that may be worked up or elaborated; data
  3. cloth or other fabric
  4. implements, articles, etc. needed to make or do something writing materials

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

law material definition - legal

material Synonyms

material

modif.

  1. Composed of matter

    physical, tangible, palpable, corporeal; see physical 1, real 2, tangible.

  2. Large in quantity

    considerable, substantial, notable; see appreciable, much 2. See syn. study at physical.


material

n.

  1. Matter

    body, corporeality, substance; see element 2, matter 1.

  2. Unfinished matter; often plural

    raw material, stuff, stock, staple, ore, stockpile, crop, supply, accumulation; see also alloy, cloth, cotton, element, linen, metal, mineral, plastic, rock 1, rubber, wool 1, 2.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

material Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • contain: It aims to help researchers identify collections that will contain material relevant to their research.

Adjective modifier

  • raw: Personal stories; our individual experience, history and own felt identity is the raw material for self - healing and deep learning.

Modifies a noun

  • consideration: Material consideration: Matters we must consider when making a decision on a planning application.

Noun used with modifier

  • publicity: Publicity materials can also be ordered directly from the editors.
material usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

material quotes

Wordsworth says somewhere that wherever Virgil seems to have composed 'with his eye on the object', Dryden fails to render him. Homer invariably composes 'with his eye onthe object', whether the object be moral or a material one: Pope composes with his eye on his style, into which he translates his object, whatever it is.

-Arnold, Matthew

It is not in the outward and visible world of material life that the Celtic genius of Wales or Ireland can at this day hope to count for much; it is in the inward world of thought and science.What it has been, what is has done, what it will be or will do, as a matter of modern politics.

-Arnold, Matthew

Those who have handled scienceshave been either men of experiment or men of dogmas. The men of experiment are like the ant; they only collect and use; thereasonersresemble spiders, who make cobwebs out of their own substance.But the bee takes a middle course; it gathers its material from the flowers of the garden and of the field, but transforms and digests by a power of its own. Not unlike this is the true business of philosophy.

-Bacon, Francis,Viscount St Albans

material quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"material." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/material>

APA Style

material. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/material

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