material

1 relating to or composed of matter there's no material evidence, such as a dead body, that a murder has been committed Synonyms concrete, physical, substantial Related Words bodily, carnal, corporal, corporeal, embodied, fleshly; apparent, appreciable, detectable, discernible (also discernable), noticeable, observable, palpable, perceptible, seeable, sensible, tangible, touchable, visible; objective, phenomenal; bulky, heavy, hefty, massive, ponderous, solid, weighty Near Antonyms bodiless, discarnate, disembodied, formless, incorporeal, unbodied; ethereal, insubstantial, unsubstantial; impalpable, imperceptible, insensible, intangible, invisible, unnoticeable; airy, diaphanous, gossamery, tenuous, thin, vaporous, wispish; metaphysical, spiritual Antonyms immaterial, nonmaterial, nonphysical

2 having great meaning or lasting effect there's no material difference between the two designs for the skyscraper: one's as bad as the other Synonyms big, consequential, earthshaking, earth-shattering, eventful, historic, major, important, meaningful, momentous, monumental, much, significant, substantial, tectonic, weightyRelated Words decisive, fatal, fateful, strategic; earnest, grave, heavy, serious, sincere; distinctive, exceptional, impressive, outstanding, prominent, remarkable; valuable, worthwhile, worthy; distinguished, eminent, great, illustrious, noble, notable, noteworthy, outstanding, preeminent, prestigious; famous, notorious, renowned; all-important, central, critical, crucial, essential, key, pivotal, seminal, vitalNear Antonyms paltry, petty, worthless; anonymous, nameless, obscure, uncelebrated, unknownAntonyms inconsequential, inconsiderable, insignificant, little, minor, negligible, slight, small, trifling, trivial, unimportant

3 having to do with life on earth especially as opposed to that in heaven people who worry more about material concerns than about spiritual ones Synonyms carnal, earthborn, earthbound, fleshly, earthly, mundane, sublunary, temporal, terrene, terrestrial, worldlyRelated Words animal, bodily, corporal, corporeal, physical; daily, diurnal; unspiritual; anthropic (or anthropical), anthropocentricNear Antonyms celestial, Elysian, empyreal, empyrean, supernal; metaphysical; devotional, divine, religious, sacred, spiritual, utopian; extraterrestrial; ethereal, supernatural, transcendent, transcendentalAntonyms heavenly, nontemporal, unearthly, unworldly

4 having to do with the matter at hand that information, while fascinating, is not material to our discussion Synonyms applicable, apposite, apropos, germane, pertinent, pointed, relative, relevantRelated Words appropriate, apt, fit, fitting, suitable; important, meaningful, significant; sensible, useful; admissible, allowableNear Antonyms frivolous, inconsequential, insignificant, little, minor, negligible, slight, trifling, trivial, unimportant; meaningless, purposeless, senseless, useless; inappropriate, inapt, unsuitable; inadmissibleAntonyms extraneous, immaterial, impertinent, inapplicable, inapposite, irrelative, irrelevant, pointless

5 of or relating to the human body material needs such as food and warmth Synonyms animal, bodily, carnal, corporal, corporeal, fleshly, physical, somaticRelated Words anatomic (or anatomical), physiological (or physiologic); sensual, sensuous; hand-to-handNear Antonyms cerebral, inner, intellectual, mental, psychological (also psychologic); bodiless, immaterial, incorporeal, insubstantial, spiritual; ethereal, metaphysical, psychic (also psychical)Antonyms nonmaterial, nonphysical

1 the basic elements from which something can be developed she's clearly movie star material Synonyms making, raw material, stuff, substance, timberRelated Words possibility, potential, potentiality; matter, metal

2 usually materials pl  items needed for the performance of a task or activity I have all the materials to build the mobile Synonyms accoutrements (or accouterments), apparatus, gear, hardware, kit [chiefly British], equipment(s), matériel (or materiel), outfit, paraphernalia, stuff, tackleRelated Words accessories, appurtenances, attachments, fittings; baggage, belongings, impedimenta; appliances, facilities, instruments, machinery, tools; apparel, attire, habiliments, raiment, trappings; armamentarium, armory, arsenal, battery; assets, resources