mattress

noun

mat·​tress ˈma-trəs 

plural mattresses

1

a

: a fabric case filled with resilient material (such as cotton, hair, feathers, foam rubber, or an arrangement of coiled springs) used either alone as a bed or on a bedstead

b

: a soft, airtight case that is designed to be inflated and used as a bed : air mattress

2

: a device (as of interwoven brush and poles) used to protect a shoreline, bank, or streambed from erosion

Examples of mattress in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Hemson Etienne, who the police said was hired by a local hotel undergoing renovations, was charged locally with illegally dumping the mattresses and the city will be seeking restitution for the labor and costs associated with removing the mattresses. —Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 9 Jan. 2026

Pullouts feature an actual mattress that’s, well, pulled out from the sofa in some way. —Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 8 Jan. 2026

Customers can buy a value pack of paper towels, AirPods, a jumbo bag of frozen fruit and a mattress all in one visit (among tons of other items). —Nathan Diller, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026

Consider donating these to a local charity in need of mattresses or contact your local bulk waste center for pickup. —Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 8 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English materas, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin materacium, from Arabic maṭraḥ place where something is thrown

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing mattress

• air mattress
• mattress pad

Kids Definition

mattress

noun

mat·​tress ˈma-trəs 

1

: a fabric case filled with springy material used as a bed or on a bedstead

2

: a sack that can be filled with air or water and used as a mattress