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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Russians are juggling the materiel and manpower demands of the long-running war, punitive Western sanctions, low oil prices, high interest rates, inflation, a labor shortage, endemic corruption, and much more besides. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 30 Nov. 2024 Some want Russia not to fail—a nuanced but important difference—and some simply want to exploit Russia’s reliance on their money and materiel. Michael Kimmage, Foreign Affairs, 7 Nov. 2024 The advance of Moscow’s forces, which control just under a fifth of Ukraine, has underlined Russia’s vast superiority in men and materiel as Ukraine pleads for more weapons from the Western allies that have been supporting it. Artem Grudinin, NBC News, 2 Oct. 2024 And Chinese companies quickened their supply of the machines, microelectronics, and other dual-use items Russia needed to churn out weapons, munitions, and other materiel. Antony J. Blinken, Foreign Affairs, 1 Oct. 2024 In the decade following the 1959 Cuban Revolution, the Department of Defense provided $1.7 billion in materiel and counterinsurgency support to sympathetic Latin American armies in an effort to prop up pro-Washington administrations and win local hearts and minds. Paul J. Angelo, Foreign Affairs, 11 Sep. 2024 Russia had reached the peak of its materiel advantage, so the risk of a major Russian breakthrough was decreasing, and Moscow could have been held to incremental gains. Michael Kofman, Foreign Affairs, 2 Sep. 2024 For decades, Washington has insisted that European states purchase materiel from the United States and avoid procuring forces that duplicate those of the United States. Justin Logan, Foreign Affairs, 9 Aug. 2024 Withdrawing troops and materiel, the tangible expression of U.S. leadership, would accelerate this process by requiring European states to bear responsibility for their defense and preventing them from continuing to lean on the United States. Justin Logan, Foreign Affairs, 9 Aug. 2024

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 14 Dec. 2024.

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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!