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

The pink garment, designed like a nightgown, was adorned with a monstrous bow and a puffy hemline, reminiscent of a comforter tucked under a mattress. —Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 1 July 2025

Some our our favorite mattress brands are only available online. —Julia Forbes, Wired News, 28 June 2025

One woman, who was living with her children in a motel south of Albany, showed paint flaking off their walls and mattresses covered in black mold. —Spencer Norris, ProPublica, 24 June 2025

Tall Outdoors California king beds are among the longest standard mattress sizes, measuring 84 inches in length—four inches longer than a regular king but also slightly narrower. —Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 June 2025

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