mattress

noun

mat·​tress ˈma-trəs 

plural mattresses

1

a

: a fabric case filled with resilient material (such as cotton, hair, feathers, foam rubber, or an arrangement of coiled springs) used either alone as a bed or on a bed frame

b

: a soft, airtight case that is designed to be inflated and used as a bed : air mattress

2

: a device (as of interwoven brush and poles) used to protect a shoreline, bank, or streambed from erosion

Examples of mattress in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Ernest couldn’t sleep, but lay awake on his mattress in the basement, figuring. — Madeline Ffitch, Harpers Magazine, 27 Oct. 2026

She was held at Cumberland County Jail in an isolated cell, allowed only a thick, tear-resistant suicide-prevention gown and mattress, and a Styrofoam tray. — Anja Aronowsky Cronberg, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2026

Mouth tape, dark showers, weighted blankets, cooling mattresses and sunrise alarms have all jumped from TikTok fringe to mainstream bedtime ritual. — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Oct. 2026

The Sleep Number Climate360 Mattress (Queen) tops the Forbes list of smart mattress picks at $5,749, out of reach for most households. — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 23 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English materas, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin materacium, from Arabic maṭraḥ place where something is thrown

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing mattress

• air mattress
• mattress pad

Kids Definition

mattress

noun

mat·​tress ˈma-trəs 

1

: a fabric case filled with springy material used as a bed or on a bedstead

2

: a sack that can be filled with air or water and used as a mattress