Definition of MATTER

matter

Plural: matters

Noun

  • a vaguely specified concern
    • "several matters to attend to"
  • some situation or event that is thought about
    • "it is a matter for the police"
  • that which has mass and occupies space
    • "physicists study both the nature of matter and the forces which govern it"
  • a problem
    • "is anything the matter?"
  • (used with negation) having consequence
    • "they were friends and it was no matter who won the games"
  • written works (especially in books or magazines)
    • "he always took some reading matter with him on the plane"
  • Material; substance.
  • Anything with mass and volume.
  • Material; substance.
  • Matter made up of normal particles, not antiparticles.
  • Material; substance.
  • A kind of substance.
  • Material; substance.
  • Printed material, especially in books or magazines.
  • Material; substance.
  • Aristotelian: undeveloped potentiality subject to change and development; formlessness. Matter receives form, and becomes substance.
  • An affair, condition, or subject, especially one of concern or (especially when preceded by the) one that is problematic.
  • An approximate amount or extent.
  • Legal services provided by a lawyer or firm to their client in relation to a particular issue.
  • Essence; pith; embodiment.
  • (The) inducing cause or reason, especially of anything disagreeable or distressing.
  • Pus.
  • Importance.

Verb

Verb Forms: mattered, mattering, matters

  • To be of consequence or importance.
  • have weight; have import, carry weight
    • "It does not matter much"
  • To be important.
  • To care about, to mind; to find important.
  • To form pus or matter, as an abscess; to maturate.

Examples

  • Every tile matters in Words With Friends, especially when facing an opponent who always finds bingoes.
  • He always took some reading matter with him on the plane.
  • I stayed for a matter of months.
  • Please find attached an invoice for three outstanding matters.
  • Something is the matter with him.
  • Sorry for pouring ketchup on your clean white shirt! - Oh, don't worry, it does not matter.
  • The diplomats met to discuss state matters.
  • The only thing that matters to Jim is being rich.
  • vegetable matter

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English matere, mater, from Anglo-Norman matere, materie, from Old French materie, matiere, from Latin materia (“wood”), from mater (“mother”), in which case cognate with Old Armenian մայր (mayr, “cedar”) and մայրի (mayri, “forest”). Doublet of Madeira, mata, mater, matrix, and mother.
Displaced Middle English andweorc, andwork (“material, matter”), from Old English andweorc (“matter, substance, material”), Old English intinga (“matter, affair, business”).

Antonyms

antimatter

Scrabble Score: 8

matter: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
matter: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
matter: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 9

matter: valid Words With Friends Word