Main Entry: ¹mat·ter

Pronunciation: \ˈma-tər\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English matere, from Anglo-French, from Latin materia matter, physical substance, from mater

Date: 13th century

1 a : a subject under consideration b : a subject of disagreement or litigation c plural : the events or circumstances of a particular situation d : the subject or substance of a discourse or writing e : something of an indicated kind or having to do with an indicated field or situation <this is a serious matter> <as a matter of policy> <matters of faith> f : something to be proved in law g obsolete : sensible or serious material as distinguished from nonsense or drollery h (1) obsolete : reason, cause (2) : a source especially of feeling or emotion i : problem, difficulty
2 a : the substance of which a physical object is composed b : material substance that occupies space, has mass, and is composed predominantly of atoms consisting of protons, neutrons, and electrons, that constitutes the observable universe, and that is interconvertible with energy c : a material substance of a particular kind or for a particular purpose <vegetable matter> d (1) : material (as feces or urine) discharged from the living body (2) : material discharged by suppuration : pus
3 a : the indeterminate subject of reality; especially : the element in the universe that undergoes formation and alteration b : the formless substratum of all things which exists only potentially and upon which form acts to produce realities
4 : a more or less definite amount or quantity <cooks in a matter of minutes>
5 : something written or printed
6 : mail
7 Christian Science : the illusion that the objects perceived by the physical senses have the reality of substance

— as a matter of fact : in fact : actually

— for that matter : so far as that is concerned

— no matter : without regard to : irrespective of <points in the same direction no matter how it is tilted>

— no matter what : regardless of the costs, consequences, or results <wants to win, no matter what>

— the matter : wrong <nothing's the matter with me>