matter

¹mat·ter

noun \ˈma-tər\

Definition of MATTER

1

a : a subject under consideration b : a subject of disagreement or litigation c plural : the events or circumstances of a particular situation d : the subject or substance of a discourse or writing e : something of an indicated kind or having to do with an indicated field or situation <this is a serious matter> <as a matter of policy> <matters of faith> f : something to be proved in law g obsolete : sensible or serious material as distinguished from nonsense or drollery h (1) obsolete : reason, cause (2) : a source especially of feeling or emotion i : problem, difficulty

2

a : the substance of which a physical object is composed b : material substance that occupies space, has mass, and is composed predominantly of atoms consisting of protons, neutrons, and electrons, that constitutes the observable universe, and that is interconvertible with energy c : a material substance of a particular kind or for a particular purpose <vegetable matter> d (1) : material (as feces or urine) discharged from the living body (2) : material discharged by suppuration : pus

3

a : the indeterminate subject of reality; especially : the element in the universe that undergoes formation and alteration b : the formless substratum of all things which exists only potentially and upon which form acts to produce realities

4

: a more or less definite amount or quantity <cooks in a matter of minutes>

5

: something written or printed

6

: mail

7

Christian Science : the illusion that the objects perceived by the physical senses have the reality of substance

— as a matter of fact

: in fact : actually

— for that matter

: so far as that is concerned

— no matter

: without regard to : irrespective of <points in the same direction no matter how it is tilted>

— no matter what

: regardless of the costs, consequences, or results <wants to win, no matter what>

— the matter

: wrong <nothing's the matter with me>

Examples of MATTER

1. He has a few personal matters to deal with.
2. Disagreement is one thing, but accusations of lying are a different matter altogether!
3. Can matter and energy be changed into each other?

Origin of MATTER

Middle English matere, from Anglo-French, from Latin materia matter, physical substance, from mater

First Known Use: 13th century

Related to MATTER

Synonyms: content, motif, motive, question, subject, theme, topic

Antonyms: answer, solution

Related Words: subject matter; talking point; count, idea, point, purpose; consideration, issue, problem; body, bulk, burden, centerpiece, core, crux, essence, fundamental, generality, gist, grist, heart, kernel, keynote, main, marrow, mass, net, nub, nubbin, nucleus, pith, pivot, purport, quick, staple, substance, sum; basis; bottom, essential, essentiality; affair, argument, debate

Near Antonyms: aside, digression, excursion, interjection, parenthesis, tangent

see all synonyms and antonyms

[+]more[-]hide

Rhymes with MATTER

attar, batter, blatter, chatter, clatter, flatter, hatter, latter, natter, patter, plaiter, platter, ratter, scatter, shatter, smatter, spatter, splatter, tatter