Main Entry: ¹mat

Pronunciation: \ˈmat\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English, from Old English meatte, from Late Latin matta, of Semitic origin; akin to Hebrew miṭṭāh bed

Date: before 12th century

1 a (1) : a piece of coarse, woven, plaited, or felted fabric used especially as a floor covering or a support (2) : a piece of material placed at a door for wiping soiled shoe soles b : a decorative piece of material used under a small item (as a dish) especially for support or protection c : a large thick pad or cushion used as a surface for wrestling, tumbling, and gymnastics
2 : something made up of densely tangled or adhering filaments or strands especially of organic matter <an algal mat> <a mat of unkempt hair>
3 : a large slab usually of reinforced concrete used as the supporting base of a building