matériel

noun

ma·​té·​ri·​el mə-ˌtir-ē-ˈel How to pronounce matériel (audio)
variants or materiel
: equipment, apparatus, and supplies used by an organization or institution

Examples of matériel in a Sentence

the army is running short of clothing and other matériel
Recent Examples on the Web Russia’s economy is under increasing strain, and its defense sector, like the West’s, is struggling to provide enough materiel for the front. Paul Sonne, BostonGlobe.com, 6 May 2023 Russia wants additional artillery shells and other basic materiel, Kirby said. Susie Blann and Dasha Litvinova, Anchorage Daily News, 30 Aug. 2023 Initial Ukrainian losses of soldiers and materiel were far higher than expected. Scott Peterson, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 Aug. 2023 On the Ukrainian side, despite the quantities of weapons and supplies that have poured into its armories, relatively little of this war materiel has come from the production line. Foreign Affairs, 27 Mar. 2023 The vast majority of this materiel has passed through Poland not only because of its strategic position on Ukraine’s western border but also because of Warsaw’s defiant posture toward Moscow — a resolve shaped by a long history of conflict and hostility. Mary Ilyushina, Washington Post, 18 Aug. 2023 Baker is currently working in Berlin for the summer with the Anti-Corruption Foundation, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s organization, to track down companies evading sanctions to provide Russia with materiel for its war against Ukraine. Lisa Bonos, Washington Post, 28 July 2023 As the conflict in Ukraine enters a critical phase, its allies must speed the delivery of materiel, enforce harsher sanctions against Russia, and make quicker decisions, says Oleksandra Matviichuk, a Ukrainian human-rights lawyer and recipient of the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize. Brian Bennett, Time, 27 July 2023 Like the Arab countries that fought Israel half a century ago, Russia has more manpower and materiel than its opponent but isn’t putting them to good use. Gideon Rose, Foreign Affairs, 13 June 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'matériel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French matériel, from matériel, adjective

First Known Use

1819, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of matériel was in 1819

Dictionary Entries Near matériel

Cite this Entry

“Matériel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mat%C3%A9riel. Accessed 30 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

matériel

noun
ma·​té·​ri·​el
variants or materiel
: equipment and supplies used by a group or organization
Etymology

French

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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