Matter Definition

mătər
mattered, matters
noun
matters
That which occupies space and has mass; physical substance.
American Heritage
What a thing is made of; constituent substance or material.
Webster's New World
What all (material) things are made of; whatever occupies space and is perceptible to the senses in some way: in modern physics, matter and energy are regarded as equivalents, mutually convertible according to Einstein's formula, E = mc2 (i.e., energy equals mass multiplied by the square of the velocity of light); in dualistic thinking, matter is regarded as the opposite of mind, spirit, etc.
Webster's New World
Any specified sort of substance.
Coloring matter.
Webster's New World
Material of thought or expression; what is spoken or written, regarded as distinct from how it is spoken or written; content, as distinguished from manner, style, or form.
Webster's New World
verb
mattered, matters
To be of importance or consequence; have significance.
The things that matter to one.
Webster's New World
To form and discharge pus; suppurate.
Webster's New World

(intransitive) To be important.

The only thing that matters to Jim is being rich.
Sorry for pouring ketchup on your clean white shirt! - Oh, don't worry, it does not matter.
Wiktionary

To form pus or matter, as an abscess; to maturate.

Wiktionary
Synonyms:
idiom
as a matter of fact
  • In fact; actually.
American Heritage
for that matter
  • So far as that is concerned; as for that.
American Heritage
no matter
  • Regardless of:
American Heritage
as a matter of fact
Webster's New World
for that matter
  • in regard to that; as far as that is concerned
Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Matter

Noun

Singular:
matter
Plural:
matters

Origin of Matter

  • From Middle English mater, matere, from Anglo-Norman matere, materie, from Old French materie, matiere, from Latin materia (“matter, stuff, material"), derivative of Latin mater (“mother"). Displaced native Middle English andweorc, andwork (“material, matter") (from Old English andweorc (“matter, substance, material")), Old English intinga (“matter, affair, business").

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English from Old French matere from Latin māteria wood, timber, matter from māter mother (because the woody part was seen as the source of growth) māter- in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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