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 classic four-poster design pairs with mattresses of all heights and bedding of any style, offering a clean look that never dates. —Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Oct. 2025

Each oceanfront room features a balcony looking out toward a towering haystack rock in the sea, plus gas fireplaces, pillow-top mattresses, and cast-iron soaking tubs. —Molly Allen, Travel + Leisure, 28 Oct. 2025

Others add a top layer of soft memory foam that regulates the mattress’s temperature and adjusts to the natural highs and lows of the user’s body. —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 28 Oct. 2025

Her mattress was taken away, and she was only allowed to sleep on a tablecloth on the floor while restrained, according to court documents. —Louis Casiano , Brooke Taylor, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 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