materiality

noun

ma·​te·​ri·​al·​i·​ty mə-ˌtir-ē-ˈa-lə-tē 

plural materialities

1

: the quality or state of being material

2

: something that is material

Synonyms of materiality

• case
• reality
• fact

Examples of materiality in a Sentence

preferred a single materiality to a slew of hypotheticals

the materiality of that fact is not in dispute

Recent Examples on the Web

Not separate, but self-contained, with their own rhythm of light, materiality, and silence. — Mary Holland, Architectural Digest, 16 June 2026

Practical, yet effortlessly chic this cotton and silk jacket has the sporty look of an anorak, but the materiality to work with dressy looks. — Aemilia Madden, Vogue, 18 June 2026

This kind of attention to life’s materiality is omnipresent in Myles’ work, but its economic reality is felt nowhere more acutely than in their early work. — Literary Hub, 7 May 2026

Rooms The 14 villas are a masterclass in raw materiality—brick, concrete, clay, and sand, all sourced locally, stacked into forms that feel simultaneously ancient and alien. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1570, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for materiality

• abnormality
• cardinality
• commonality
• communality
• cordiality
• corporeality
• criminality
• criticality
• functionality
• generality
• geniality
• hospitality