matte

variants: or matt

Definition of matte

variant spellings of mat 1

Other Fine Arts Terms

Gothic, baroque, bas-relief, limn, oeuvre, pastiche, rococo, sfumato

matte

adjective

variants: or less commonly mat or matt play \ˈmat\

Definition of matte

:lacking or deprived of luster (see ²luster 1) or gloss: such as

a :having a usually smooth even surface free from shine or highlights

matte metals

a matte finish

b :having a rough or granular (see granular 1) surface

See matte defined for English-language learners

Examples of matte in a Sentence

a photograph with a matte finish
I chose a paint with a matte finish so the walls wouldn't be too shiny.

Recent Examples of matte from the Web

The details are humble and un-flashy, too; buttery soft, matte leather, a notch lapel, a patch chest pocket, and a single breasted closure.

— megan gustashaw, GQ, "Daniel Craig's Other Big News: He's Bringing Back the Leather Blazer," 16 Aug. 2017
The formula is really hydrating and leaves behind a satin finish that isn't too matte or too glossy.

— carly cardellino, Cosmopolitan, "The Hottest Fall Lip Colors To Wear Now," 11 Nov. 2013

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'matte.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of matte

French mat, from Old French, faded, defeated

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1648

See Words from the same year

matte Synonyms

Synonyms

dim, dull, dulled, flat, lusterless

Antonyms

glossy, lustrous, shiny, sleek

Related Words

tarnished, unpolished; cloudy, dingy, dirty, drab, lackluster, mousy (or mousey), muddy; gray (also grey), leaden, pale, palish; black, dark, darkened, darkish, dimmed, dusky, gloomy, murky, obscure, obscured, pitch-black, pitch-dark, somber (or sombre), stygian, tenebrific, tenebrous

Near Antonyms

buffed, burnished, glazed, lacquered, polished, rubbed, shellacked, varnished; satin, satiny; silken, silky; slick, slippery; gemmy, gleaming, glimmering, glinting, glistening, glittering, scintillating, shimmering, shining, sparkling, twinkling; beaming, bedazzling, bright, brightened, brilliant, candescent, dazzling, effulgent, fulgent, glowing, incandescent, lambent, lucent, lucid, luminous, radiant, refulgent, resplendent, shining

Other Paints and Dyes Terms

bloom, craze, medium, size, vehicle

matte

play

noun \ ˈmat \

Definition of matte

1 :a crude mixture of sulfides formed in smelting sulfide ores of metals (such as copper, lead, or nickel)

2 :a motion-picture effect in which part of a scene is blocked out and later replaced by footage containing other material (such as a background painting)