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matériel
noun
ma·té·ri·el
mə-ˌtir-ē-ˈel
variants
or materiel
: equipment, apparatus, and supplies used by an organization or institution
Synonyms
Examples of matériel in a Sentence
the army is running short of clothing and other matériel
Recent Examples on the Web
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
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Word History
Etymology
French matériel, from matériel, adjective
First Known Use
1819, in the meaning defined above
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
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