n.
- physical substance or material in general; (in physics) that which occupies space and possesses mass, especially as distinct from energy.
▸a particular substance:
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organic matter.
- an affair or situation under consideration; a topic.
▸
(matters)
the present state of affairs.
-
[usu. with neg. or in questions]
(the matter)
the reason for a problem:
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what's the matter?
- written or printed material.
▸Printing the body of a printed work, as distinct from titles, headings, etc.
- Logic the particular content of a proposition, as distinct from its form.
- Law something which is to be tried or proved in court; a case.
v.
- be important or significant.
- US (of a wound) secrete or discharge pus.
Phrase
- for that matter
used to indicate that a subject, though mentioned second, is as relevant as the first. - in the matter of
as regards. - a matter of
- (of time) no more than:
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they were shown the door in a matter of minutes.
- a question of.
- a matter of course
the natural or expected thing. - a matter of record
a thing that is established as a fact through being officially recorded. - no matter
- regardless of.
- it is of no importance.
History
Matter entered English via Old French, from the Latin word materia, meaning ‘timber, substance’ or ‘subject of discourse’. It comes ultimately from mater, the Latin for ‘mother’, and many other English words derive from this same root, including maternal, matrimony, and material.
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